Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasized on Monday, during the first anniversary of the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, that "safeguarding this victory and building upon it today constitutes the greatest duty resting upon all Syrians." Appearing in a green military uniform, which he donned upon arriving in the Syrian capital a year ago, al-Sharaa stressed the importance of unifying the efforts of Syrians to build a "strong Syria" and achieve a future "worthy of its people's sacrifices." After a year in power, despite taking several steps to consolidate his rule, al-Sharaa faces a major challenge in maintaining Syria's unity, with voices rising in the south and on the coast, which recently witnessed unprecedented protests against the situation.
