Jubilant Syrians gather for first Friday prayers since Assad regime fell

Syrians in Damascus have gathered at the historic Umayyad Mosque for their first Friday prayers following the downfall of dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime.

People took to the streets singing and dancing as they celebrated the end of a catastrophic civil war.

Worshippers, some of whom had travelled across the country to visit the mosque, were seen taking selfies at the monument.

It came as rallies on Friday (13 December) marked an end to 53 years of authoritarian rule under the Assad family since 1971, when Hafez al-Assad became president under the Ba’ath Party following the 1970 Coup.