Canada

Syrian Canadians cautiously optimistic for 'new era' after Assad regime toppled by rebels

Syrians who fled to Canada due to the country's civil war expressed cautious optimism on Sunday after rebels took the capital and ousted the longtime president.

'I hope to see a free country with democratic system,' says Syrian living in Ontario

Three men are seeing in a crowd holding a sign and flags.
People gather at the steps of the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg on Sunday for a rally celebrating the fall of Syria's longtime government and the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

Syrians who fled to Canada due to the country's civil war expressed cautious optimism on Sunday after rebels took the capital and ousted the longtime president.

The conflict — which started in 2011 after President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on anti-government protesters spiralled into an armed struggle pitting Syria's army against an alliance of anti-Assad factions — had been in a stalemate for some years before rebels made dramatic advances in late November that culminated in them taking Damascus early Sunday.

Assad reportedly fled to Russia, a key ally during the war, and was granted asylum. The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the reports by Russian state media.

"Canada welcomes the end of the Assad regime in Syria, a regime that has inflicted decades of suffering on its own people," Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement.

"This event marks a significant turning point for the Syrian people, who have endured unimaginable hardship under the rule of Bashar al-Assad."

People gather at a public square, with some standing atop a statue.
People gather at Saadallah al-Jabiri Square as they celebrate the fall of Syria's government in Aleppo on Sunday. (Karam al-Masri/Reuters)

Many in Syria fled the country to avoid the fighting and Assad's crackdown on dissent — the UN says his forces have killed more than 350,000 opponents, jailed and tortured countless thousands more and used banned nerve gas on opposition towns to deter any challengers — with many settling in Canada. 

As residents of the Syrian capital took to the streets of Damascus to celebrate, dozens braved the cold and snow in Winnipeg to do the same outside the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Among them was Maysoun Darweesh, who fled Syria in 2008 and spent a few years in China before arriving in Canada in December 2012.

"The regime that never allowed us to breathe is now gone," Darweesh said.

Picture of a woman in blowing snow wearing glasses.
Maysoun Darweesh who says her family in Syria is reacting to the news of Assad's ouster with a mix of fear and excitement. (Gary Solilak/CBC)

Darweesh still has family in Syria. She says they are reacting to the news of Assad's ouster with a mix of fear and excitement.

"They know for sure it's a new era," she said.

As the Assad family's decades-long rule ends, Syria transitions into an unclear future.

WATCH | Syrian Canadian in Saskatoon celebrates end of Assad rule: 

Syrian Canadian who fled bombing in Aleppo 13 years ago celebrates Assad's ouster

3 days ago
Duration 6:41
Ali Kharsa and his family left Syria in 2011 amid the outbreak of war and arrived in Canada in 2015. Following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad's government on Sunday, Kharsa shared his feelings as well as those of his loved ones back in Syria. 'They are all celebrating. They are all saying, 'We are free.'"

The person some say is poised to shape that future is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of the largest rebel faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations.

The HTS struck a moderate tone on Sunday and promised a "free Syrian state" that embraces pluralism and religious tolerance.

Tareq Hadhad, who fled with his family in 2012 and settled in Antigonish, N.S., says anything is better than the Assad regime, which he called a "police state" characterized by kidnappings, arrests and corruption.

People waving a Syrian flag stand on a wooden float while cheering.
People attend a rally in Mississauga on Sunday to celebrate the end of Assad's rule. (CBC )

"The previous regime reached the absolute rock bottom that any government, any regime, any dictatorship even, has reached in history," he said.

"As Syria starts to build a new chapter, we dream of a future where fear is gone, where families can thrive and where children can dream without limits."

Amir Fattal of Oakville, Ont., who came to Canada in 2016 after fleeing his home country four years earlier, worries about what will come next, but says for now, he's happy Syria at least has a chance for a new future. 

"I hope to see a free country with democratic system. I hope to see our country build again," he said. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Justin Li

Senior News Writer

Justin Li is a senior news writer based in Toronto.