Syrians in Finland gathered in Helsinki on Sunday to celebrate the fall of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad.
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Syrians in Finland gathered near Helsinki’s Central Railway Station on 8 December 2024. Image: Mikko Ahmajärvi / Yle
Syrians in Finland congregated at Helsinki’s Eliel Square on Sunday to mark the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The event organisers told Yle they had come together to celebrate the ousting of Assad.
Diyaa Mouhamad said he arrived in the capital from Turku on Sunday after following the events in Syria throughout the night.
“I’m honestly so happy. All Syrians feel the same way. Now we have freedom, we have democracy and everyone can be how they want,” he told Yle, reflecting on the events of the night.
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Diyaa Mouhamad. Image: Mikko Ahmajärvi / Yle
Mouhamad said he hopes for peace in Syria, although he is unsure of what will happen next. In his opinion, the most important thing is that Assad’s regime has been toppled.
The war in Syria emerged from the 2011 pro-democracy Arab uprisings.
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has urged all Finnish citizens to leave Syria immediately over security concerns. The Finnish government also noted that it was unable to provide consular services to Finns in Syria or assist in organising a possible evacuation.
Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP) on Sunday expressed particular concern for the rights of women, girls and minorities in Syria, fearing a grim future for these groups under the Islamist rebels who overthrew Assad.
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Syrians in Finland celebrated after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus on Sunday. Image: Mikko Ahmajärvi / Yle
Finland saw a record number of asylum seekers in 2015, during the European migrant crisis. That year, approximately 32,000 people applied for asylum in Finland, a significant increase compared to previous years. The majority of these asylum seekers were from countries affected by conflicts, such as Syria.
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Publish date : 2024-12-08 04:13:00
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