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Middle East Eye
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Syria after Assad: Returning to Damascus after years of war, I found hope
Blacklisted by the Assad regime since 2014 for my consistently vocal opposition, it was with great relief that I landed at Damascus International Airport last month to enter the new Syria. Evidently, few British women travel alone to Damascus these days, not least because the UK government designates the entire country as a 'red' zone, advising against all travel and thereby invalidating any travel insurance. After buying my visa, I hit a problem at the immigration desk in Damascus. My blacklisting flashed up on the computer system, meaning I could not receive a passport stamp and be allowed in like everyone else. During the Assad era, all my visa applications were refused after 2014, but I managed to enter in 2018 "under the radar" so to speak as part of a group invited by the Syriac Orthodox Church, under a group visa. This April 2025 visit was the first time I'd visited since then, in April 2018. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Instead, I was taken to a different part of the airport for an interview with a security official, who accepted my explanation of the blacklisting but said he needed to check whether I was also on an Interpol list. I laughed out loud at the thought that I might be considered an international criminal. In the end, I was allowed in after about an hour's delay, but the official told me to contact his office upon departure to ensure the matter was resolved once and for all. Throughout my time in Damascus, I stayed in the house I had bought in the Old City in 2005, living alongside my Syrian friends who have been there for the last decade. The house has collected its fair share of empty cartridge shells in the courtyard, but is otherwise essentially unscathed. Unlike Homs and Aleppo, the Old City of Damascus never suffered aerial bombardment by the Assad regime and allied Russian air forces. For the first few years of the war, my house served as a haven for five refugee families after their own homes in the suburbs were destroyed. Then, in 2014, it was stolen - like so many houses all over Syria - by greedy opportunists taking advantage of absentee landlords. Thankfully, I managed to reclaim it. Museums open but neglected My impressions upon my latest visit were of a city exhausted by war, polluted and dirty, choked with traffic - a city whose infrastructure was in desperate need of TLC. Yet the mood of all my friends was overwhelmingly positive. Friends who left as refugees and settled in Turkey in 2012 are returning with their families. They see it as their duty to help rebuild the country. Investment opportunities abound for small-scale projects unhampered by sanctions. The author is pictured at her house in Damascus in April 2025 (Photo supplied by Diana Darke) Revisiting Damascus's cultural sites, both in the Old City and beyond, I found them all open, well-staffed and selling tickets, just as they had been before the war - although museums like the medical school of Bimaristan al-Nuri were somewhat tired and neglected, its once-lush courtyard now bare and dusty. The valuable Qurans of the Museum of Arabic Epigraphy were still in storage in the basement of the National Museum, where they had been taken for safekeeping during the war. The National Museum itself only had its Classical and Hellenistic sections open, although I was told other areas would reopen in the coming weeks. At the Umayyad Mosque, I observed a change inside the courtyard: there are now waist-high chains dividing the space into women's and men's areas The shop at the museum entrance was selling the same books, fridge magnets and postcards I recognised from before the war, and the gardens and cafe were unchanged. Al-Azem Palace was as magnificent as ever, beautifully maintained, its courtyards well-watered and rich with the scent of jasmine and roses. At the Umayyad Mosque, I observed a change inside the courtyard: there are now waist-high chains dividing the space into women's and men's areas, with the women channelled into a far corner to enter the prayer hall, while the men can go straight inside from the main Bab al-Barid entrance. Such a division means that, strictly speaking, I cannot go to see the Barada panel, the most beautiful and famous mosaic ensemble in the mosque. But no one seemed to mind if I ducked under the chain, following the example of many local mixed family groups. I felt largely invisible and entirely at home throughout my trip - except in Homs, where I visited the newly restored Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque. A hostile self-appointed warden refused to let me enter the prayer hall at all, despite my hooded gown, forcing me instead to enter a tiny screened area reserved for women, from which it was difficult to see the rest of the mosque. Her manner made me feel very unwelcome, the first time I had felt that way in a Syrian mosque throughout decades of visits, starting from 1978. Remarkable resilience I also visited three churches during my visit: the Ananias Chapel, where St Paul had his 'Damascene conversion'; the Saydnaya Monastery, whose name is shared by the nearby notorious prison; and Umm al-Zinnar in Homs, rebuilt after extensive bombing. The latter two visits coincided with Palm Sunday, so the churches were decorated with real palm fronds, and my male Muslim friends were also welcomed and given sachets of incense for a blessing. At Umm al-Zinnar, they too drank the holy water, as has long been normal behaviour in Syria, where Muslim-Christian relations have traditionally been close. Arab Christianity Frescoes at Mar Elian, Homs (photo by Diana Darke) The Homs souk is now bustling after the return of refugees who had been displaced to Idlib in 2014. They were restoring their homes and reopening their shops. At the Ananias Chapel, we encountered a church service where a man and a woman from the small congregation of about 15 people alternated in leading prayers for the safety of their community and the future of Syria. I felt buoyed by the optimism of my friends, whose will to unite and rebuild is strong. Syrians have a remarkable resilience and ability to adapt Traditions run deep in these anxious communities. Several early popes were born in Syria, and Pope John Paul II visited Damascus in 2001, even entering the Umayyad Mosque - the only pope ever to cross the threshold of a mosque. Upon my departure from the airport, I received confirmation that my blacklisting had been officially lifted, enabling me to return to Syria anytime. As my flight took off, heading west, I looked down at the majestic, snow-covered peak of Mount Hermon, now under Israeli control. This is yet another challenge facing Syria's new leadership: the ongoing Israeli occupation and land grabs. It remains to be seen how Syria will navigate the choppy waters ahead but overall, despite the many problems still facing the country, I felt buoyed by the optimism of my friends, whose will to unite and rebuild is strong. Syrians have a remarkable resilience and ability to adapt. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
flydubai becomes first UAE carrier to touch down in Damascus
flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, inaugurated its operations to Syria with the resumption of flights to Damascus. The inaugural flight FZ 115 touched down in Damascus International Airport (DAM) on 1st June to a water cannon salute. The inaugural flight marks the start of flydubai's daily flights to Damascus. The inaugural flights mark the return of air connectivity between the two countries after almost after 12 years. Hassan Ahmed Al Shehhi, the UAE Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic, was among the officials welcoming the inaugural flight. He was accompanied by a delegation that included Abdul Bari Al-Saj, the Deputy Chairman of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, and Amjad Nakhkhal, the Director of the Authority.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Emirates to reintroduce Damascus services from 16th July
Emirates is set to reintroduce flights to Damascus from 16th July 2025. Operations were suspended to the Syrian capital in 2012, and the return of services follow a comprehensive evaluation in conjunction with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The airline will initially start with three weekly services on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, with plans to expand to four weekly flights from 2nd August with an additional flight on Saturday. Emirates will expand its Damascus services to daily operations, effective 26th October. H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said, 'Emirates is pleased to restart operations to Damascus and support Syria's road ahead by providing better choice and connectivity, essential economic links for inwards investment as well as opening new trade lanes and global market access for the country. Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also good news for our customers that make up the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe and the GCC, who are eager to fly back home and reconnect to their roots, and leverage their knowledge, skills, expertise and resources in ongoing development efforts. "We would like to thank the Syrian authorities for their support in strengthening connectivity between Dubai and Damascus and look forward to boosting links to and from the country through our regularly scheduled operations.' Emirates' services to Damascus will operate with a 302-seater Boeing 777-200LR. The flights will open up new opportunities for travellers to conveniently connect to and from the airline's network of nearly 150 destinations and will support the UAE's efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and support Syrian aspirations to rebuild and attract foreign investment across key sectors such as energy, construction and agriculture. Emirates customers flying to and from Damascus will also benefit from the airline's codeshare partnership with flydubai, which will complement its flight schedule and provide more options and convenience when flying in and out of the Syrian capital. Emirates commenced services to Damascus in 1988, and prior to suspending operations in 2012 the airline carried over 2.1 million passengers in and out of Syria. The airline currently flies to 13 cities in the Middle East/GCC, serving the region with a total of 191 weekly flights.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
flydubai becomes first UAE carrier to touch down in Damascus
2 June 2025 14:03 DUBAI (ALETIHAD)flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, inaugurated its operations to Syria with the resumption of flights to Damascus. The inaugural flight FZ 115 touched down in Damascus International Airport (DAM) on June 1 to a water cannon salute. The inaugural flight marks the start of flydubai's daily flights to inaugural flights mark the return of air connectivity between the two countries after almost after 12 years. The UAE Ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic, His Excellency Hassan Ahmed Al Shehhi, was among the officials welcoming the inaugural flight, accompanied by a delegation that included the Deputy Chairman of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Abdul Bari Al-Saj, and the Director of the Authority, Mr. Amjad on the start of operations, His Excellency Hassan Ahmed Al Shehhi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Syrian Arab Republic, said: 'We are pleased to announce the resumption of operations by the UAE national carrier, flydubai, to the Syrian Arab Republic. This milestone reflects the deep-rooted and fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and Syria and underscores the UAE's continued efforts to enhance regional and international air connectivity, strengthening economic ties and connecting people. "On this occasion, we reaffirm that the resumption of flydubai's flights to Syria marks a promising step toward the full return of UAE national carriers to operate in Syria. "Furthermore, we reiterate the UAE's firm and consistent position in support of Syria and its people. This commitment contributes to the consolidation of security and stability, supports Syria's path toward progress and prosperity and aligns with the enduring bonds of brotherhood that unite our two nations.'Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: 'flydubai has a longstanding commitment to further enhance connectivity in the region and we are very pleased to offer our passengers the opportunity to fly directly to Syria again. As an important cultural centre in the region, we look forward to serving the market and stimulating free flows of travel, trade and tourism between the two countries.' Flight details Flights to Damascus International Airport (DAM) will depart daily from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB) from June 1, 2025.
Hi Dubai
2 days ago
- Business
- Hi Dubai
flydubai Resumes Daily Flights to Damascus, Restoring Air Link After 12 Years
flydubai has officially resumed its operations to Syria with the launch of daily flights to Damascus, re-establishing direct air connectivity between the UAE and Syria for the first time in over a decade. The inaugural flight, FZ 115, landed at Damascus International Airport on 1 June 2025 to a ceremonial water cannon salute, marking a significant milestone in regional aviation ties. The flight was welcomed by senior officials, including UAE Ambassador to Syria, Hassan Ahmed Al Shehhi, alongside Syrian aviation authorities. 'This milestone reflects the deep-rooted and fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and Syria,' said Ambassador Al Shehhi. 'It underscores the UAE's continued efforts to enhance air connectivity and strengthen economic and social ties between our nations.' The relaunch of flights signals a step forward in restoring broader air travel operations by UAE carriers to Syria. It also highlights the UAE's continued support for Syria's progress, stability, and reintegration into regional networks. flydubai's Chief Commercial Officer, Hamad Obaidalla, noted the airline's commitment to regional connectivity. 'We are very pleased to offer our passengers the opportunity to fly directly to Syria again. As an important cultural centre in the region, Damascus plays a key role in fostering travel, trade and tourism.' Daily flights will operate from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport to Damascus International Airport, offering travellers renewed access to the Syrian capital. News Source: Dubai Media Office
