Syrians flocked to the main square of the capital city Damascus on Monday to mark what many regard as a long-awaited new dawn after the fall of president Bashar al-Assad, AFP journalists saw.
Assad fled to Russia on Sunday after a lightning offensive spearheaded by Islamist rebels ousted him from power, opening a new chapter in Syria's history after five decades of rule by his clan.
AFP journalists at Umayyad Square saw fighters deployed as joyful residents flocked to the scene following a nighttime curfew imposed by the rebels for the capital.