Antwerp (Eurotoday): Farhan Al Mufreh, a shop owner in Antwerp, celebrated the fall of Assad’s regime with baklava. Artino Van Damas, who just had surgery, was happy about the peaceful changes and talked to his family. Sally Ghannoum, a former restaurant owner and now a councilor, is hopeful for Syria’s future, even though some people are still worried.
blank” rel=”noopener”>Farhan Al Mufreh, a 42-year-old shop owner in Antwerp, celebrated the recent news from Syria by displaying a sign reading “Syria is free” and treating his customers to baklava. Originally from Raqqa, which was once the capital of ISIS, Farhan fled Syria in 2015 and has since built a new life in Belgium with his family. He expressed hope for a brighter future, reflecting on the significant changes back home and the newfound freedom to speak openly.
How do Syrians in Antwerp feel about Assad’s fall?
Artino Van Damas, who just had surgery, is upset that he can’t follow the news in Syria. He is happy that the recent changes happened without violence. Artino talked to his brother for the first time since 2012, and they both cried. He called his uncle in Damascus to tell him about Assad being gone, and at first, his uncle didn’t believe it until he heard celebrations. Artino feels hopeful about Syria’s future and thinks they can handle any new challenges.
In 2015, Sally Ghannoum and her family left Syria because of the war and opened a Syrian restaurant in Antwerp, which they have now closed. Sally is now a councilor for N-VA in Deurne. She is hopeful about Syria’s future after Assad’s departure and believes that different groups can live together peacefully, even though some minorities still feel worried about what will happen next.
Comments
2 responses to “Antwerp Celebrates the Downfall of Assad’s Regime”
-
You know it’s a big deal when baklava is the symbol of democracy—next thing you know, we’ll have a “Syria’s Free” pastry shop popping up on every corner! 🍰 Who knew that freedom tasted so sweet? 😂
-
So, let me get this straight—Baklava instead of champagne to celebrate a regime’s fall? Classic European multitasking: sweets for the soul while we still shake our heads at the mess back home. 🍰😏
Last News
France Records 5,764 Excess Deaths During June-July Heatwaves
Paris, July 22 Eurotoday Newspaper — France excess deaths reached 5,764 during the June and July heatwaves, according to a report released by Santé publique France. The health agency said prolonged periods of extreme heat led to thousands of additional deaths above normal seasonal levels, underlining the continued public health risks posed by increasingly intense summer temperatures.
Heatwave
A Plea for the Release of 95-Year-Old Chairman Lee from Pretrial Detention in South Korea
For a month, Chairman Lee (Lee Man Hee, born in 1931), the founder and spiritual head of the Shincheonji Church, has been in pretrial detention since his arrest on June 24, 2026, making him possibly the oldest prisoner in the world, despite not being found guilty of any crime.
This
Offener Widerstand gegen Alice Weidel
Z
Britain’s Leadership Crisis: A Symptom, Not the Disease
The question of whether Andy Burnham would make a better prime minister than Keir Starmer misses the point entirely. Britain’s political crisis runs far deeper than personalities, campaign skills or messaging strate
Zelenskyy Appoints New Head of Ukraine’s Army
Is Everyone Aboard the Burnham Bus?
They analyze the funding mechanism for the bus fare plan. Chancellor John Healey claims it won’t burden British taxpayers, but details raise funding concerns.
At the Farnborough Air Show, there’s a chance to discuss defe
EU Pledge to Ukraine: "Our Support is Unwavering"
Modern wars are won “not only by military strength but by drones and cutting-edge technologies.”
So says Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space who was speaking after the European Commission and Ukraine signed a major new defence industrial partnership.
The EU says the move marks a “major step forward” in the integration of the European and Ukrainian defence industries.
The Commiss
Value of the 2026 World Cup Trophy
Officially, the World Cup trophy is crafted from pure gold. It stands 36.5 cm tall and weighs 6
Drone Strikes by Ukraine Intensify Pressure on Russian Economy
Initially, Moscow planned to reduce military spending this year, but it has surged, making up nearly half of government spending in the second quarter, accordi
Everyone Watches Oil While Iran Turns to Maritime Moves.
By Tuesday night, after four consecutive nights of strikes, Iranian missiles and drones continue to target power and desalination infrastructure along Kuwait’s southern coast. The primary target remains the Shuaiba complex, a dense stretch of turbines and water treatment units south of Kuwait City where crews have fought fires across multiple sectors as generating units went dark. Kuwait draws n
Leave a Reply