Syrian rebel leader Mohammad al-Jolani has called on the public to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime peacefully following a tragic incident in the northern city of Raqqa. The head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group delivered a video message, dressed in civilian attire, congratulating the Syrian people on the victory of the revolution and urging them to express their joy without resorting to violence.
The call for non-violent celebrations comes after an accidental discharge of a machine gun during a celebratory gathering in Raqqa led to deadly chaos. Witnesses reported that a man lost control of his weapon, resulting in gunfire that caused panic and confusion among the crowd. Subsequent skirmishes broke out between local security forces affiliated with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and young men in the area, escalating tensions further.
Tragically, the gunfire resulted in the death of at least one person and left 15 others wounded, according to reports from a local journalist and eyewitnesses. The incident highlighted the fragile situation in Raqqa, where competing factions, including the Kurdish-led SDF and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), vie for control.
Raqqa, a predominantly Arab city with a Kurdish minority, has been a focal point of contention, with some residents calling for a transfer of power from the SDF to the FSA. The recent violence underscores the challenges of post-conflict stabilization and the urgent need for unity and reconciliation among the Syrian people.
