In Aleppo, al-Sharaa marks the anniversary of the city’s liberation

A turning point

In a speech delivered at the entrance to the Aleppo Citadel, al-Sharaa said the anniversary recalls the first hours of entering the city.

He stressed that this event marked a turning point in Syria’s trajectory over the past years.

“Aleppo was a stage for major losses and tremendous sacrifices made by Syrians to reach the current phase,” al-Sharaa said, adding that, upon entering the city, there was anticipation over the recapture of neighborhoods from the former regime.

He considered that these developments embodied a new birth for both Aleppo and Syria.

Al-Sharaa pointed out that taking control of the city represented “a turning point” in the course of subsequent battles.

He said, “From the walls of Aleppo we saw Damascus liberated, and from here the process of unshackling Syrians began, leading up to the release of detainees and the return of hope to the faces of children.”

“Aleppo was the main gateway to the liberation of Syria,” he added, considering that its location and historical symbolism made it a launching point for what he described as “a major transformation” in the country.

Meeting with community actors

Earlier on Saturday, al-Sharaa met with civil and military actors in Aleppo province, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The meeting included Interior Minister Anas Khattab, Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib, and a number of representatives of local institutions.

During the meeting, al-Sharaa congratulated the people of Aleppo on the anniversary of their city’s liberation.

He underlined the need to pool efforts to rebuild the province and to revive its service and economic institutions.

The president noted that the post-liberation phase requires “joint work and collective responsibility.”

According to state-run al-Ikhbariya, al-Sharaa spoke during the meeting about the work plan that had been drawn up for the battle and the field arrangements that accompanied it.

He emphasized the importance of joint efforts to rebuild the city and restore its role.

The channel reported that the meeting included an open discussion with representatives of civil actors.

Questions were raised about domestic and external affairs, as well as political and economic files.

Participants also presented observations and proposals regarding the situation in the province and the needs posed for the coming period.

Third visit

On this day, the operation to liberate the city of Aleppo and a number of villages and towns in the province was completed, as part of the “Deterring the Aggression” campaign.

The operation saw rapid advances on the ground that ended with the announcement of full control over the city, followed by the consolidation of military positions before moving on to the city of Hama.

This is al-Sharaa’s third visit to Aleppo since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

Al-Sharaa first visited Aleppo on 27 May during the “Aleppo, the Key to Victory” event.

The event was dedicated to honoring the families of those killed and wounded who took part in the city’s liberation as part of the “Deterring the Aggression” battle.

The second visit was on 27 September, when al-Sharaa met with a number of service and institutional sectors in the city.

He met at the time with Aleppo Governor Azzam al-Gharib and provincial officials, discussing development projects, public services, infrastructure files, and ways to improve them despite existing challenges.

During the same visit, al-Sharaa held a meeting with the commanders of the 60th and 72nd divisions to review the latest security and military developments in the area.

He also met with the commanders of the 76th and 80th divisions to discuss ongoing developments and follow up on the security situation on the ground.

[Source: Enab Baladi]