Syrians share their thoughts one year on from the fall of Assad

One year ago today, Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule ended and nearly 13 years of brutal civil war came to an end.

On December 8, 2024, Assad resigned as president of Syria and fled to Russia; This marked one of the most significant political changes in the Middle East in decades.

Twelve months later, the dust has begun to calm down, but the country is still grappling with the huge social, political and emotional costs left behind.

While Syria’s interim government has vowed to protect all its citizens, not just its Sunni Muslim-majority population, hundreds of people from the country’s Alawite and Druze minorities have been killed in sectarian attacks, including by government forces.

BBC’s Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega explains how life has changed with Syrians in Damascus, the capital of Syria, since the revolution.