Syria’s Interim Leader Declares Post-War Rebuilding Has ‘Just Begun’ in Aleppo Address
For Sharaa, launching the message of reconstruction from Aleppo was not just geographical—it was political, emotional, and deeply symbolic.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa declared on Tuesday that the country’s long-awaited reconstruction era has officially begun, calling for unity among Syrians as they embark on rebuilding a nation ravaged by 14 years of devastating civil war, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Speaking at the "Aleppo, Key to Victory" event in the northern city of Aleppo — the first major city to fall during the Islamist-led offensive that ousted former president Bashar al-Assad last December — Sharaa struck a defiant yet hopeful tone. In front of a jubilant crowd, with images of fighters killed during Aleppo’s battle shown on large screens, he urged citizens to seize the opportunity of peace to rebuild their homeland.
“O great Syrian people, the battle of construction has just begun,” Sharaa proclaimed. “Let us all unite and seek the help of God to create a bright future for a venerable country and a deserving people.”
The address marks the most significant public appearance by Sharaa since assuming the role of interim president following the collapse of Assad’s regime, which had ruled Syria for decades before being toppled amid growing opposition and external pressures.
Sharaa’s speech comes as the country begins to emerge from more than a decade of war that claimed over half a million lives and left much of its infrastructure, cities, and economy in ruins. The recent lifting of long-standing Western sanctions on the Assad-era government has opened a potential path to recovery and international engagement.
Addressing the path forward, Sharaa emphasized the need for national responsibility: “Let us seize the available opportunity and take on this duty,” he said. “Let our slogan be as we raised it before: we do not rest and we do not relax until we rebuild Syria anew and boast about it to the entire world.”
While political stability remains fragile and challenges immense — including widespread displacement, economic hardship, and the lingering presence of extremist groups in certain regions — Tuesday’s speech signaled a symbolic turning point, as the country’s new leadership attempts to unify and mobilize its people toward a vision of post-war recovery.
The choice of Aleppo for the address also carried weight. Once a vibrant commercial hub, the city endured some of the fiercest fighting in the war and became a symbol of both Syria’s suffering and resilience. For Sharaa, launching the message of reconstruction from Aleppo was not just geographical—it was political, emotional, and deeply symbolic.
As Syrians cautiously look to the future, the interim government faces the monumental task of converting rhetoric into results — a transformation that will depend heavily on unity at home and support from abroad.
