Syria says 'great revolution' triumphed, December 8 is new National Day

Spokesman for interim government's military operations sector, Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, rolls out new measures including dissolution of military of defunct Assad regime and rebuilding of new Syrian army.

Syria's Ahmed al Sharaa talks during a meeting attended by commanders of armed groups that fought alongside Hayat Tahrir al Sham to oust Bashar al Assad from power, in Damascus, Syria, in this handout released on January 29, 2025. / Photo: Reuters
Reuters

Syria's Ahmed al Sharaa talks during a meeting attended by commanders of armed groups that fought alongside Hayat Tahrir al Sham to oust Bashar al Assad from power, in Damascus, Syria, in this handout released on January 29, 2025. / Photo: Reuters

Syria has declared victory of "the great Syrian revolution" that began in 2011 against Bashar al Assad regime and announced the new National Day will be celebrated on December 8 every year instead of April 17.

Wednesday's declaration was made by spokesman for the Military Operations Department, Colonel Hassan Abdul Ghani, who also announced that Ahmed al Sharaa, who took the helm after Assad's ouster last month, has been appointed interim president of Syria and tasked with forming a transitional legislature.

"We, in the Military Operations Department, congratulate our great Syrian people on the victory of their blessed revolution, which constitutes the legitimacy speaking in their name," Ghani said.

"We declare the victory of the great Syrian revolution, and consider the eighth of December of each year a national day," he added.

The announcement was made during a special event at the People’s Palace in capital Damascus, attended by military factions and representatives of the Syrian revolutionary forces, as reported by official SANA news agency.

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'Reconstruction of the Syrian army'

Syria's new government also announced the suspension of the 2012 constitution, dissolution the People's Assembly formed by the Assad regime, and rebuilding of new Syrian military.

"We announce the dissolution of the army of the defunct regime and the rebuilding of the Syrian army on national foundations. We announce the dissolution of all security agencies affiliated with the former regime, with their various branches and names, and all the militias it established," Ghani said.

He said all military factions, political, and civil revolutionary bodies will be dissolved and integrated into state institutions.

Ghani also warned that Arab Socialist Baath Party, parties of the National Progressive Front, and all affiliated organisations, institutions, and committees have been dissolved and "it is prohibited to reconstitute them under any other name, provided that all their assets return to the Syrian state."

Civil war broke out in Syria after Assad suppressed peaceful anti-government protests in 2011. The conflict has killed more than 500,000 people and displaced millions more.

Assad, Syria's ruler for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on December 8, 2024, ending the Baath regime, which had been in power since 1963.

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