Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus on Friday for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the ousting of President Bashar Assad, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s dramatic political shift. The scene unfolded at the Umayyad Mosque, one of the world’s oldest and a powerful symbol of Syria’s heritage. Large crowds also filled the capital’s main square, celebrating the fall of the Assad regime after insurgents seized the city last Sunday, ending nearly five decades of authoritarian rule. The gatherings were a major display of both jubilation and hope, coming almost a week after a surprise insurgent offensive ousted Assad's government. It also coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s diplomatic mission in the region to guide Syria’s political transition, urging the formation of an "inclusive and non-sectarian" interim government. The key insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been working to establish security and start political reforms in the wake of Assad’s sudden fall. The group’s leadership, which had previously been associated with extremist views, has vowed to break from its past and promote a more inclusive government. However, HTS remains labeled a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Golani) addressed the nation in a video message on Friday, celebrating the “victory of the blessed revolution” and urging Syrians to celebrate peacefully without resorting to violence. He promised that the insurgents would work to build a new Syria, united under a government that includes all citizens. The Friday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque were a highly symbolic occasion. The mosque, which has been a center of worship and power for over 1,200 years, was once tightly controlled under Assad’s regime, with sermons strictly censored. In the early days of the uprising in 2011, it was here that many anti-regime protests began after Friday prayers, which were met with violent crackdowns. Read: Syria struggles; Gaza nears famine, WFP warns One worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby, expressed his joy at being able to attend the prayers after more than a decade of restrictions. "Since 2011, I haven’t been this happy," he said, reflecting on the newfound sense of freedom under the new government. However, others like Khair Taha expressed mixed emotions, balancing hope for the future with uncertainty over the country's transition. In Umayyad Square, the city’s largest roundabout, thousands of Syrians continued the celebrations, chanting slogans like "Unified Syria to build Syria." Some protesters, emboldened by the regime's collapse, even shouted insults at the late President Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar, something unthinkable under the previous regime. Khaled Abu Chahine, a 51-year-old from Daraa, the birthplace of the 2011 uprising, shared his hope for a new Syria: "I hope for freedom and coexistence between all Syrians—Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites, and Druze." The Friday’s prayers and celebrations were part of a broader shift in Syria, with the country now under the control of HTS, a group long based in the opposition-controlled enclave of Idlib. The group has promised to build a government free of corruption, similar to the one in Idlib, which many in the capital saw as a positive step. The Syrian insurgents face several challenges, including the need to win international recognition for their new government and to ease fears from minority communities about the group’s future direction. Key regional players like Turkey and the U.S. are closely monitoring developments, with Blinken advocating for a transition that guarantees minority rights and regional stability. Read more: US keen to support Syrian leaders on conditions In the midst of this, the U.S. continues to have troops in eastern Syria, focusing on defeating remnants of ISIS, while Israel carries out airstrikes in the country, reportedly targeting weapon shipments to extremist groups. With Syria’s future still uncertain, global powers are keen to shape the country’s post-Assad era, aiming to ensure that extremist groups do not regain control and that stability is restored in the war-torn nation.

Stating that the perspective of the 90s and 2021 is not the same, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said that BNP’s plan to create another mass uprising like the 90s is a daydream. "The perspective of the 90s and 2021 is not the same. So, the BNP’s plan to create another mass uprising like the 90s aiming to oust the government is now a daydream," he said. He said this while addressing a briefing at his residence in reply to the recent remarks of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Read: Quader urges BNP to forget neutral caretaker govt. for polls On Monday, Mirza Fakhrul called upon students and people in general to unite for "another mass uprising", like that of 1990, to oust the current government. "Students and people overthrew the then dictatorial government through a mass uprising in the 1990s. Our leader Khaleda Zia led the movement. We need such a mass uprising again," said Fakhrul.