Syrians Rejoice as Assad Family’s Brutal Half-Century Rule Comes to a Close

The rebels now face the daunting task of healing bitter divides in a country ravaged by war and still split among different armed factions.

AP/Hussein Malla
An opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad. AP/Hussein Malla

Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, putting an end to the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region.

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