Video: Umayyad Mosque in Damascus sees first Friday prayers after fall of Assad

Damascus: Tens of thousands of Syrians performed Friday prayers at the Umayyad Mosque in Syria’s capital, Damascus, for the first time on Friday, December 13, after the fall of the regime of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The head of the Syrian caretaker government, Mohammed al-Bashir delivered the Friday sermon at the Umayyad Mosque.

Several videos have emerged on social media platforms, revealing a notable presence of Syrians inside and around the Umayyad Mosque.

Umayyad Mosque was reopened after 12 years of closure, as its religious and cultural activities were suspended under the rule of Assad.

Watch the videos here

Following Friday prayers in the Umayyad Mosque and other Damascus mosques, residents proceeded to Umayyad Square, the main celebration center in Damascus.

As per a report by AFP, many of them raised the Syrian revolution flag, which the Syrian opposition has used since 2011, and sang chants like “One, one, one, the Syrian people are one.”

This comes after Assad family’s rule in Syria ended on Sunday, December 8, after five decades due to the rise of rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who swiftly captured Damascus.