In Damascus, Syrians Reclaim Spaces and Freedoms After al-Assad’s Fall Residents of Syria’s capital are picnicking on a once-forbidden mountaintop and trading openly in dollars and imported Nescafe. They say the city seems theirs again.

In Homs, Smiles and Tears Amid a Ravaged Landscape After al-Assad’s Fall The ancient city, an early stronghold of opposition to Bashar al-Assad’s oppressive regime, was ravaged by a government crackdown. Residents are reacting to his fall with smiles and tears.

Al-Assad’s Soldiers Hope for Amnesty. First, They Have to Take a Number. Syria’s new rulers say they will spare conscripts of Bashar al-Assad and pursue those who oversaw his regime’s abuses. Hundreds are lining up to learn which promise applies to them.

Turkey Emerges as a Big Winner in the Wake of al-Assad’s Ouster President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had long worked with the rebels who overtook Damascus. His influence over Syria is now likely to grow.

Europe Begins to Ask if Syrians Can Go Home After al-Assad’s Fall Nearly a million Syrians in Germany alone have made new lives. But after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, some politicians across the continent have suggested that refugees could return home.

Al-Assad’s Fall Has Changed the Middle East Forever As a new reality in Syria sets in, a reordering of regional power dynamics is already taking shape.

Who Set the Stage for al-Assad’s Ouster? There Are Different Answers in the U.S. and Israel. President Biden says he weakened Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, laying the groundwork for Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Syrian leader would still be in power had he listened to American advice.

What to Know About the Countries Still Fighting in Syria After al-Assad’s Ouster Bashar al-Assad is gone, and Russia and Iran have stepped back. But Israel, Turkey and the United States are carrying out airstrikes.