TOPSHOT - Syrians flash the V-sign for victory as they shout slogans and wave independence-era flags, used by the opposition since the uprising began in 2011, during celebrations of this week's toppling of president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus' central Umayyad Square on December 13, 2024. Thousands of jubilant Syrians also gathered outside a landmark mosque in the capital Damascus to celebrate during the first Friday prayers since Assad's ouster on December 8. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)