📰 U.S. envoy hails Syria’s “shared hope” on anniversary of Assad’s fall

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Tom Barrack, U. S. Furthermore, special Envoy for Syria praised on Monday Syrians of all backgrounds and urging them to seize a renewed opportunity for peace and unity, marking the first anniversary of the toppling of the Assad regime. Through his official X, Barrack addressed “every Syrian – Sunni, Alawite, Kurd, Christian, Druze, Arab, Turkmen, Circassian, and all who call this ancient land home,” saying that after years of war and suffering, the country now stands before “a emerging chance for peace, unity, and prosperity. ” “… after so numerous years of pain, today we celebrate your shared hope rising again,” he added.

Barrack’s comments come as Syria enters its second year of a turbulent transitional phase marked by political uncertainty, competing governance structures, and unresolved security challenges. To every Syrian – Sunni, Alawite, Kurd, Christian, Druze, Arab, Turkmen, Circassian, and all who call this ancient land home – after so numerous years of pain, today we celebrate your shared hope rising again. Additionally, a emerging chance for peace, unity, and prosperity. The future belongs to all… — Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) December 8, 2025 Despite these constraints, international and regional actors continue to frame the post-Assad period as an opening for a negotiated political settlement and the rebuilding of fractured institutions.

The statement reflects growing calls from foreign partners for Syrians to embrace inclusive governance and avoid renewed fragmentation. It also underscores ongoing expectations that national actors—whether in Damascus, the northeast, or the south—will work toward a sustainable political framework that prevents the return of authoritarianism or sectarian crisis. The Assad regime fell following a series of rapid armed forces and political shifts in late 2024, culminating in the HTS-led Operation Deterrence of Aggression, which broke the administration’s last defensive lines around Damascus. Indeed, by early December 2024, HTS troops and their allies controlled the capital, prompting the formal collapse of the regime.

In the months that followed, a transitional administration was established, though progress toward constitutional reform, national dialogue, and unified security structures has remained uneven. One year later, Syria continues to navigate a fragile and incomplete transition while facing economic collapse, local unrest, and competing regional influences. By Jwan Shekaki