Syrian jihadist rebels announced on Sunday that they have captured the capital Damascus and end of President Bashar al-Assad‘s rule, following 13 years of civil war.
The fall of President Bashar al-Assad marks a major turning point in Syria’s history, ending a 50-year dynasty that shaped the country’s politics and governance. The announcement came less than two weeks after a swift offensive by the jihadist rebels, and the news of Assad’s ouster has brought significant symbolic and practical changes across the nation.
One of the most visible changes is the replacement of Assad’s portraits, which once dominated public spaces, with the flag used by the Syrian opposition. This shift in symbolism reflects not just the end of his rule but also a potential reimagining of Syria’s identity, including its national symbols like the flag.
The current flag symbolises Arab unity
The current Syrian flag, adopted in 1980, is a legacy of Arab unity and reflects the country’s historical ties to the pan-Arabist movement. It was first introduced in 1958 during the formation of the United Arab Republic, a short-lived political union between Syria and Egypt.
Each color in the flag has a specific meaning. Red represents the blood shed during the fight for freedom, white symbolizes a peaceful future, green stars represent Syria and Egypt as the founding members of the United Arab Republic, and black reflects the oppression faced by Arabs.
This flag was first adopted in 1958 when Syria joined the United Arab Republic with Egypt after gaining independence from European influence. Between 1961 and 1980, the flag was redesigned three more times before settling on the current version. Recent developments could lead to another change in its design.
Rebel flag denotes opposition to the Assad dynasty
After Syrian rebels announced on state television that Assad’s 50-year family rule had ended, the opposition’s green-white-black-red flags were displayed across the country. Similar scenes were seen in Germany, Turkey, and Greece, where large crowds celebrated by waving the opposition flags.
The rebel flag is similar to the current Syrian flag, with differences in the arrangement of colors. The rebel flag features green at the top, white in the center, and black at the bottom, with three red stars in the middle.
This design is a modified version of the flag first adopted in 1932 when Syria gained independence from France. The opposition chose this flag as a symbol of resistance to and independence from the Assad government.
