The first flight since the ouster of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has taken off from Damascus International Airport, marking a significant milestone in the country’s transition. The Syrian Air Airbus, en route to Aleppo in the country’s north, carried 43 passengers, including journalists, according to AFP reporters at the scene.
Assad’s government lost control over Damascus in late November following a swift rebel offensive that saw key cities fall. His army and security forces abandoned Damascus airport on December 8, halting all flights in and out until now.
This week, in a symbolic gesture of change, airport staff began painting the three-star independence flag—once a symbol of the 2011 uprising—on planes. The new flag has also replaced the one associated with Assad’s regime in the terminal, signaling the shift in Syria’s political landscape.
