Syrians flock to mosques for first Friday prayers post-Baath regime

Following the fall of the 61-year-old Baath regime in Syria, excitement fills the air in newly liberated cities as Muslims gather for Friday prayers.

In regions such as Damascus, Aleppo, Manbij, Hama, Homs, Tel Rifaat, and Idlib, Syrians are flocking to mosques to perform their Friday prayers without fear of repression. People from across the country are heading to Damascus, where they will pray at the historic Umayyad Mosque.

The fall of the 61-year-old Baath regime in Syria began to take shape on November 27 when armed anti-regime groups clashed with Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Between November 30 and December 7, the opposition gained control of key cities like Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs. On December 7, the opposition groups entered Damascus, and with growing support from the local population, the Baath regime collapsed, losing control of the capital and many other regions.

With the end of the Baath Party's 61-year rule, regime leader Assad fled the capital.

Meanwhile, the Syrian National Army (SNA), after liberating Tel Rifaat, which was under PKK/YPG occupation near the Turkish border, turned its focus to targeting terrorist groups in Manbij.