Syria marks Aleppo anniversary with President Sharaa highlighting a year of shifting power and political transformation.
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| Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa delivers a speech at the entrance of Aleppo’s Citadel during celebrations marking one year since an Islamist alliance led by Sharaa entered and swiftly took control of the northern city, on November 29, 2025. Photo by Bakr Alkasem/AFP/Getty Images |
Syria marks Aleppo anniversary this week with President Ahmed al-Sharaa returning to the country’s northern capital to commemorate a year since the Islamist-led offensive that reshaped the nation’s political landscape. As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary events across the region, Sharaa's visit has become a symbolic moment for his administration, marking both the consolidation of power and the ongoing challenges facing post-Assad Syria.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in Aleppo on Saturday, choosing the historic northern city as the focal point of Syria’s remembrance of the swift Islamist-led offensive that began on November 29 last year. The attack ultimately toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad just weeks later, ending more than five decades of dynastic rule. As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary commemorations, Sharaa’s presence in the city reflects his administration’s interest in framing last year’s events as the beginning of a renewed national identity.
Standing before hundreds of residents, soldiers, civil servants, and local leaders, Sharaa delivered a speech emphasizing Aleppo’s place in the nation’s political transformation. He declared that Aleppo had been “reborn,” a phrase he repeated several times as he described the city’s significance in shaping modern Syria. By tying the city’s struggle to the broader upheaval that swept the country, he positioned Aleppo as both a symbol of resistance and an emblem of the future.
After his speech, Sharaa appeared at the top of the citadel tower, raising a large Syrian flag as supporters cheered below. The moment, captured and shared widely across local media, served as a visual marker of how Syria marks Aleppo anniversary narratives: through memory, symbolism, and political messaging.
As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary discussions, many observers recall that Aleppo played a pivotal role long before Assad’s fall. The city was one of the first major urban centres to witness large anti-government demonstrations in 2011, as the Arab Spring spread across the region. Those early protests soon escalated into violent clashes and then into full-scale civil war.
For the next four years, Aleppo endured one of the longest and most brutal urban battles of the conflict. The city was effectively split in two, with government forces controlling the more densely populated western districts and rebels holding a shrinking area in the east. The Assad government was frequently accused by international observers of dropping barrel bombs from helicopters over rebel neighbourhoods, leaving massive destruction and thousands of casualties. Rebel factions, meanwhile, launched rockets into government territories, heightening tensions and civilian suffering on both sides.
Russia’s intervention in September 2015 dramatically changed the course of the battle. Russian air power supported Assad’s forces, allowing them to encircle and besiege the rebel-held eastern sector. By cutting off the final supply route, government forces gradually advanced, forcing the remaining rebels and civilians to leave the city. On December 22, 2016, Assad declared that Aleppo had returned entirely under government control.
Although Aleppo remained under Assad’s control for several years, the political landscape began to shift rapidly last year. The alliance led by Ahmed al-Sharaa launched a sudden offensive on November 27, beginning a campaign that spread quickly across several provinces. Their advance on Aleppo occurred two days later, on November 29, marking the beginning of decisive battles that undermined Assad’s remaining power.
Within days, the alliance seized major government positions, pushed out loyalist forces, and gained popular support in several neighbourhoods long frustrated by years of conflict and stagnation. As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary remembrances, analysts note that many citizens still recall the speed of those events with a mix of astonishment and apprehension.
Following the capture of Aleppo, Sharaa’s forces advanced south toward Damascus. The capital fell on December 8, marking the end of Assad’s decades-long rule and solidifying Sharaa’s leadership within Syria’s complex political environment.
A year after those transformative events, Syria marks Aleppo anniversary ceremonies as both a commemoration and a political tool. Aleppo’s symbolic weight is tied to its long history as a cultural, economic, and intellectual hub. Its two-part conflict era, followed by its sudden shift during the Islamist-led offensive, offers competing narratives depending on political affiliation and personal experience.
For residents who endured years of siege, destruction, and uncertainty, the anniversary offers a moment to reflect on survival and loss. Many neighbourhoods still bear the scars of war, with damaged buildings, disrupted water systems, and ongoing reconstruction efforts. Yet some districts have revived markets, reopened schools, and restored parts of their public services, offering glimpses of normalcy despite lingering tensions.
For Sharaa’s government, Syria marks Aleppo anniversary events by highlighting themes of liberation, resilience, and national unity. His speech on Saturday framed Aleppo not as a victim of war but as the birthplace of renewed national momentum. He described the city as a point of origin for a “new history,” suggesting that the political landscape emerging from last year’s events is not merely corrective but foundational.
How Syria marks Aleppo anniversary one year on
As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary remembrances across the nation, humanitarian issues continue to dominate local and international concerns. Many displaced families have returned to the city, but thousands remain in temporary accommodations. The economic challenges are significant: inflation remains high, reconstruction funding is limited, and many businesses struggle to rebuild their supply chains.
Furthermore, the political reorganization that followed Assad’s fall has produced both opportunities and challenges. Some Syrians view the new leadership as a chance to rebuild governance structures, while others fear potential power struggles between factions that participated in last year’s offensive. Foreign influence remains a factor, with regional powers closely observing Sharaa’s manoeuvring as he consolidates authority.
Ceremonies, official speeches, community gatherings, and cultural events have unfolded across the country. Schools held educational programs discussing the city’s historical and political significance. Local councils organized neighbourhood cleanups to symbolize renewal. State media produced special broadcasts recounting the timeline of the offensive and its aftermath.
Yet beneath these formal activities, there remains ongoing debate about how Syria should interpret last year’s events. Some see them as liberation, others as upheaval, and still others as the continuation of a long national struggle. As Syria marks Aleppo anniversary milestones in the coming years, these conflicting interpretations will likely shape the way the nation navigates political transition.
