In Separate Messages, US Envoy and Syrian President Map Out Post-Regime Future
US Syria Envoy Tom Barrack and Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued dual anniversary messages, with Barrack celebrating "a new chance for peace" and al-Sharaa outlining a reconstruction vision focused on unity, economic revival, and security reform.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Tom Barrack, the Special Envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump to Syria, marked the first anniversary of the fall of the Syrian regime with an expansive message addressed to “every Syrian,” calling the new phase in the country’s history “a new chance for peace” at a moment of profound transition and national introspection.
On December 8, Barrack published a statement on the X platform congratulating all components of Syrian society on the anniversary of liberation.
“To every Syrian – Sunni, Alawite, Kurd, Christian, Druze, Arab, Turkmen, Circassian, and all who call this ancient land home – after so many years of pain, today we celebrate your shared hope rising again. A new chance for peace, unity, and prosperity. The future belongs to all of you.”
To every Syrian - Sunni, Alawite, Kurd, Christian, Druze, Arab, Turkmen, Circassian, and all who call this ancient land home - after so many years of pain, today we celebrate your shared hope rising again.
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) December 8, 2025
A new chance for peace, unity, and prosperity. The future belongs to all…
Barrack’s message aimed to underscore inclusivity and collective ownership over Syria’s next chapter, as the country’s leadership and society grapple with the challenges of reconstruction and reconciliation.
Shortly after Barrack’s message, Syria’s Transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa delivered a major speech from the Conference Palace in Damascus to commemorate what he called “the first liberation anniversary.”
Beginning with a religious invocation, Al-Sharaa dedicated the occasion to the fighters who “liberated the country with their blood,” to the mothers who endured loss, to the children shaped by years of suffering, and to the Syrian people who “faced years of oppression inside and outside the homeland.”
He declared the anniversary a moment to honor “a page of heroism” and to celebrate Syria’s return to its people “free, proud, and dignified.”
“We lost Damascus, the jewel of the East, for more than five decades,” Al-Sharaa said, describing attempts by the former regime to sever the city from its identity and bury its heritage. “But how can the moon hide its face? How can the sun be prevented from shining?”
He described Syria as the cradle of faith, wisdom, and human civilization, asserting that the “dark page” of the former regime had given way to renewed clarity, dialogue, and fraternity.
Al-Sharaa condemned the previous regime for sowing division, instilling fear, criminalizing expression, weakening citizenship, and reducing Syria to “the lowest ranks” through corruption, repression, and lawlessness. In contrast, he framed the post-liberation era as “a historic rupture” with tyranny and a turn toward justice, citizenship, co-existence, and national creativity.
The Interim President outlined a comprehensive vision for Syrian reconstruction:
1-National governance: A strong state rooted in its ancient heritage and re-engaged regionally and internationally.
2-Economic revival: Strategic partnerships in energy, ports, airports, real estate, and telecommunications aimed at job creation and economic recovery.
3-Living standards: Gradual income improvements and policies intended to reduce hardship and strengthen social stability.
4-Security sector reform: Integration of various military formations into a unified national army based on professionalism and institutional loyalty.
5-Transitional justice: A commitment to accountability for violations, truth-seeking for victims, and preserving the rights of the disappeared.
Al-Sharaa stressed that liberation marked not an end but “the beginning of a new battle”—one of work, integrity, and fulfillment of promises.
“To those who paved the way with their blood and suffering… all greetings and peace,” he concluded.
The simultaneous messages from Barrack and Al-Sharaa highlight a pivotal moment for Syria: a nation emerging from five decades of authoritarian rule, navigating the burdens of reconstruction, and confronting the political, social, and humanitarian legacies of conflict.
As the anniversary of Assad’s fall is commemorated at home and acknowledged abroad, Tom Barrack’s message signals Washington’s recognition of a transformative period in Syria. Meanwhile, Al-Sharaa’s sweeping address lays out a vision for a unified, accountable, and forward-looking state. Whether the country can translate these aspirations into stability and reconstruction will define the next phase of Syria’s long-awaited recovery.