Turkey’s Syrians are rejoicing, for now

On Sunday, thousands of Syrians poured out onto the streets of Istanbul to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The 3 million refugees living in Turkey were as surprised as anyone by the spectacular collapse of the regime. The celebrators were euphoric, waving flags and shooting fireworks. For years, many of them lived in fear, feeling a need to hide their Syrian identity, only whispering Arabic on public transport. Yesterday, they proudly chanted in their mother tongue: ‘Death to Assad’. 

‘I have never been this happy,’ said Omar Faruk Altavel, a young Syrian who fled Damascus nine years ago. ‘We will return now, rebuild the country, open our factories. It might take 30 years but it will start today.’

In my years of covering Turkey, convincing Syrian refugees to give interviews, even anonymously, was always a struggle. At the rally, people lined up impatiently to share their plans and excitement, asking me to take their photos.