The Collapse of Assad: A Witness to Syria’s Struggle
Amid Syria’s collapse, I remember the faces lost to war, the resilience of its people, and the haunting question: what comes after liberation?
In the early hours of this morning, the dawn broke over Damascus with a startling clarity, a capital free of its long-standing ruler, Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian rebel coalition declared the city liberated, its streets erupting in celebration as tanks were swarmed and statues toppled. A regime that had stood for 61 years had finally crumbled. Yet, as the dust of victory settles, one question lingers: what comes next for a nation that has bled for over a decade?
Twelve years ago, I stepped into the heart of Syria’s uprising, determined to document the conflict unraveling the country. By then, the Arab Spring had ignited a cascade of revolutions, but Syria’s descent into chaos stood apart—its brutality, its human toll, and its inescapable pull on those of us compelled to bear witness.
This is one of the images I captured moments after an airstrike whose shockwave overturned my car. Despite this, I went to the crater and took the shot:
