After the overthrow of the 61-year-old Ba'ath regime in Syria, there was excitement for the Friday prayers in the liberated cities. Syrian Muslims living in areas such as Damascus, Aleppo, Manbij, Hama, Homs, Tel Rifat, and Idlib flocked to mosques to perform the Friday prayer without any oppression. Thousands of people from all over the country flocked to Damascus, forming rows around the historic Umayyad Mosque, the symbol of the city, to perform the Friday prayer. After the prayer, Syrians celebrated the country's liberation from oppression by chanting takbirs. The Umayyad Mosque, located in the center of the capital and also known as the 'Great Mosque of Damascus,' is considered one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world. The people filling the squares in most cities, especially in the capital Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Daraa, and Hama, continue their jubilant celebrations. In all provinces, including Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Daraa, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor, Tartus, and Suwayda, millions of people gathered in city squares after the first Friday prayer following the overthrow of the regime. The celebrations, attended by people of all ages and ethnic groups, captured the joy and happiness of the crowd on camera. The people filling the large squares of the cities marched with 'Syrian revolution flags' in their hands, chanting slogans expressing wishes for the country's freedom and a 'new Syria.' In the Turkmen neighborhood of Latakia province, people formed rows for the first Friday prayer. Turkmens, displaced by the Assad regime, began returning to their homes after the regime's collapse on December 8. Turkmens who returned to the Ali Cemal neighborhood in Latakia after the regime's collapse performed the first Friday prayer at the Rahman Mosque. Experiencing the joy of returning to their homes and being together again, the Turkmens prayed during the prayer. After the Friday prayer, the people joined the celebrations with 'Syrian revolution flags' and chanted slogans expressing wishes for a 'new Syria.' On November 27, clashes intensified in Syria. Anti-regime groups gained dominance in the largest cities, including Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs, between November 30 and December 7. On December 7, as groups began entering the capital Damascus and receiving support from the masses, the Ba'ath regime completely lost control in Damascus and many other regions, leading to its collapse. The Syrian National Army, after liberating Tel Rifat, which was under the occupation of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization near the Turkish border, turned its focus to the terrorists stationed in Manbij.
