A woman waves the flag of the Syrian rebels as people gather to celebrate the fall of the government, in Umayyad Square on December 8, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. Rebel forces in Syria claimed that they had retaken the capital from longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was reported to have fled the country. © Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images Syria: “Right Now I Am Not Afraid” Many of us wanted change but couldn’t express it because of our extreme fear. 9 Dec 24