Following a half-century of oppressive autocratic rule, the reign of the al-Assad family in Syria has finally concluded. This development has led to the fall of Hafez al-Assad and his successor Bashar’s monuments throughout the nation.

Reports are surfacing that the burial place of Hafez al-Assad, the previous despot, has been set aflame, just a few days after a rebellion ousted his son, Bashar, from power.

Photographs originating from Qardaha, the birthplace of the al-Assad lineage in Latakia’s western province, reveal a segment of the burial chamber, including a casket, ablaze.

The presidential mansion was ransacked on Sunday, and representations of the al-Assad lineage have been overthrown nationwide.

This upheaval transpired three days post the capture of Damascus by rebels, led by the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). This capture came in the wake of the Syrian army’s retreat and Bashar al-Assad’s flight into exile.

Hafez al-Assad governed Syria with unyielding authority for 30 years post a coup in 1970, maintaining power until his death from a cardiac arrest in 2000. His administration was known for relentlessly pursuing political adversaries.

His successor was his son Bashar, who had prior experience as an ophthalmologist in London.

Bashar al-Assad’s brutal suppression of protestors in 2011 pushed Syria into a devastating civil war that lasted 13 years. This conflict led to approximately 500,000 fatalities and forced millions of Syrians into exile.

Bashar al-Assad, who has received support and military backing from Russia and Iran, has controlled a significant part of the country since his forces recaptured Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, from the opposition in 2016.

His abrupt downfall was unexpected, following a rapid rebel offensive that initiated in north-west Syria in late November. The opposition initially captured Aleppo, followed by Hama and Homs on their way to Damascus.

With al-Assad’s departure, Syrians, both domestically and globally, are celebrating the conclusion of his violent reign.

However, their happiness is tinged with sorrow as they grapple with the reality that their family members who disappeared during al-Assad’s rule and have not surfaced since the notorious prisons were freed, may never return.