Damascus slowly returns to normal after Assad's overthrow

In the wake of Assad's departure from Syria over the weekend and his subsequent political asylum in Russia, life in Damascus is gradually returning to normal.

Private banks in the capital reopened under the instruction of the Central Bank, with Sadi Ahmad, a branch manager in the upscale Abu Rummaneh neighborhood, confirming that all employees had returned to work, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Shops have also begun reopening in the ancient Hamidiyeh market, where both armed fighters and civilians were seen purchasing items like perfume and ice cream. One clothing shop owner, speaking anonymously for fear of retribution, expressed hope that vendors would no longer be forced to pay bribes to security officials.

At Bakdash, a famous ice cream shop in the city, a poster outside read: “Welcome to the rebels of free Syria. Long live free Syria.”

“Damascus is more beautiful now,” said Maysoun Qurabi, who was shopping in the market. “It has a soul, and people feel at ease and secure.” Under Assad, she said, “people were hungry and scared. The regime was strong.

In the aftermath of Assad’s fall, Israeli forces moved into a 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) buffer zone inside Syria, a region that had been established after the 1973 Middle East war. Israel stated that the move was aimed at preventing attacks on its citizens.

Additionally, Israel has claimed responsibility for targeting suspected chemical weapons sites and heavy weapons in Syria, with the goal of preventing these resources from falling into the hands of extremists. Israeli officials, however, rarely confirm individual airstrikes.

Israel has a longstanding history of seizing territory during conflicts with its neighbors, citing security concerns. In the 1967 Middle East war, Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria and later annexed it in a move that remains unrecognized internationally, except by the United States.

By Vafa Guliyeva