Syria Marks One Year Since Assad's Fall as U.S. Signals Diplomatic Shift

Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of Damascus on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, a moment that has ushered in sweeping political change across Syria.

The former president abandoned the capital last year as rebel forces mounted a rapid offensive that ended more than five decades of Assad family rule and opened a new chapter in the country's history. Since then, political and diplomatic shifts — including unprecedented engagement with the United States — have reshaped Syria's international standing.

One of the most consequential developments is the planned rollback of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, Washington's most stringent sanctions on Syria since 2019. A full repeal reportedly has been drafted into the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is due for a House vote this week.

Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force and one of the original drafters of the Caesar Act, told Fox News Digital that Syrians are celebrating both liberation and the expected removal of the sanctions, which he says devastated Syria's economy.

The diplomatic breakthrough included an unprecedented White House visit by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has met with President Donald Trump multiple times since Trump returned to the White House. Trump has publicly praised al-Sharaa and urged Israel to sustain a constructive dialogue with Damascus amid ongoing regional tensions.

Syria faces urgent and complex challenges: large-scale reconstruction, economic recovery after years of sanctions and conflict, and accountability for alleged abuses under the previous regime. Data from the Syrian Network for Human Rights reports that more than 170,000 people were forcibly disappeared in Syria between March 2011 and August 2025, with the vast majority reportedly held in facilities run by the former government.

There have also been outbreaks of sectarian and local violence, most notably in the Sweida region, where clashes involved Druze militias, Sunni Bedouin tribes and forces aligned with the former government. At the same time, the new leadership has launched high-profile prosecutions: former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford noted on Fox News Digital that Ahmed al-Sharaa has publicly put more than a dozen security personnel on trial on charges including extrajudicial killing, illegal detention and torture.

Robert Ford said that if those prosecuted are convicted and held accountable, it would be a notable step toward justice — especially given al-Sharaa's controversial past.

In July, the U.S. State Department formally revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group once led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani). The delisting has been part of a broader U.S. policy shift toward engagement with Syria's interim authorities.

Al-Sharaa has publicly urged Russia, which granted asylum to Bashar al-Assad after his departure from the capital, to hand over the former president so he can face justice for alleged crimes. Back home, U.S. lawmakers and officials have pushed for strong international support for Syria's transition. Representative Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) praised the pace of change and credited U.S. political backing, saying decisive international action is needed to prevent a return to factional chaos and to help Syria rebuild as a pluralistic state.

As Syrians celebrate, many critical tasks remain: rebuilding infrastructure and institutions, reviving the economy, supporting communities affected by sectarian violence, and establishing credible mechanisms for accountability and reconciliation.