Residents in Damascus celebrate after Assad's sudden fall from power

In Damascus, residents are adjusting to the sudden fall of President Bashar al-Assad after 54 years of his family's rule. Soldiers abandoned their uniforms, and checkpoints were left unmanned as rebel forces took control of the city. Celebrations erupted in Umayyad Square, where people fired guns into the air in joy. Many expressed relief and disbelief, feeling that their loved ones who died in the conflict did not die in vain. Rebel leaders announced plans for a transitional government, with Mohammed Gaza al-Jalali at the helm. The atmosphere in the city shifted dramatically, as former fears of retaliation faded amid the jubilation of newfound freedom.