Aleppo, Syria – President Ahmed al-Share’ visited the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday to commemorate the first anniversary of the “Deterring Aggression” campaign, a swift offensive led by opposition forces that resulted in the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December.
Addressing a large crowd gathered at the historic Aleppo Citadel, under tight security, President al-Share’ declared, “At this very moment, one year ago, Aleppo was reborn, and with it, a new Syria was born. A new chapter in our nation’s history was being written.”
“The liberation of Aleppo was just the beginning,” he added. “We now face the long and arduous task of reconstruction. Rebuilding Aleppo is an essential part of rebuilding Syria.”
Later, President al-Share’, accompanied by Interior Minister Anas Khattab, appeared atop the citadel’s main tower, waving to the assembled citizens alongside the Syrian flag.
Aleppo endured years of suffering following the outbreak of the revolution in 2011, triggered by the suppression of anti-Assad protests. The western districts remained under regime control, while the opposition held limited areas in the east, which suffered extensive damage from Syrian and Russian bombardment. The front line within the city was one of the bloodiest, with relentless shelling and airstrikes destroying infrastructure, historical markets, and parts of the ancient city.
On November 27th of last year, a coalition of Syrian opposition factions, spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly led by al-Share’), launched a broad offensive, starting from the north, sweeping through Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, ultimately culminating in the capture of Damascus on December 8th, ending over half a century of Assad family rule.
