Syrians are jubilant but anxious as they gaze at the deposed Assad’s palace

Damascus – The Syrian capital was running on autopilot on Tuesday, with no new government in place in the wake of the crisis Dramatic rebel attack Which overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad on Sunday. But as the former al-Qaeda branch that led the charge put some of its senior figures in charge of a self-declared transitional administration, many Syrians seemed determined to try to continue business as usual.

Some institutions, including the Central Bank of Syria, have asked employees to report to work, and many people seem to hope that simply sticking to a daily routine is the safest option in the face of complete uncertainty about the country’s future.

Some efforts are being made to calm anxiety. Mohammed al-Bashir, the politician who previously led local government in parts of northwestern Syria and Idlib ruled by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, before its extraordinary 12-day blitz, has been appointed transitional prime minister for the next term. Three months.

While there remains lingering anxiety, there remains an enthusiastic buzz, especially in the capital, Damascus, which until Sunday was the seat of the Assad family’s brutal grip on power for half a century. On Monday, crowds came to visit the sights around one of the former dictator’s homes and learn about the Islamist fighters who overran their city on Sunday.

Patrolling the streets, these rebel forces were at their best – even allowing members of the public to carry their weapons for smiling photos.

“It is a celebration for all of us, for all Syrians: here and around the world,” said Lina Zakkar, one of many Syrians who came to catch a glimpse of the former president’s family home. “My mother is a Christian, so she is afraid. But we tell her… We hope for a new Syria. We are all brothers, we are all sisters, we are all one! We are Syrians.”

At another symbol of the regime, the presidential palace, members of the public walked through the vast ballrooms where the Assad family once welcomed dignitaries.

The idea of ​​getting anywhere near the palace was unimaginable to the general population. Now its doors are wide open. CBS News found that the palace is guarded by a rebel soldier named Ahmed who was nearly killed while opposing Assad’s forces nine years ago.

“I was personally targeted and injured in a raid on our home in 2015,” Ahmed told CBS News on Monday. “My relatives are detained and I don’t know their fate.” “They may be in the regime’s prisons and I hope we can release them.”

Ahmed – like all other rebel fighters – is waiting for new orders. There remains a big question mark over Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s efforts to gain political legitimacy, which have been marred by questionable human rights records in the areas it rules in Syria, and persistent doubts about the faction’s ability to address the country’s religious divisions.

Parts of the country are still reeling from the war as Türkiye-backed opposition fighters fight Kurdish forces allied with the United States In the north, ISIS and its extremist ideology are still active in pockets of the country.

As Syria goes through a seismic transition, the country is experiencing a historic, but still dangerous, moment.

Elizabeth Palmer

Elizabeth Palmer is the chief foreign correspondent for CBS News. She works out of CBS News’ London bureau, reporting on major events across Europe and the Middle East. Palmer was previously based in Tokyo, and before that in Moscow for CBS News.