Damascus. Thousands of Syrians gathered Friday at Damascus' historic Umayyad Mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the fall of former President Bashar Assad. At the same time, massive crowds celebrated in the capital's largest square, marking a symbolic moment of change nearly a week after insurgents seized power.

The upheaval ended 50 years of Assad family rule, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with regional allies to shape Syria's transition, advocating for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government.

After talks in Jordan and Turkey—key backers of some insurgent groups—Blinken made an unannounced stop in Iraq. U.S. officials have yet to confirm direct contact with Syria's new leaders.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the insurgent group that seized Damascus, has promised security and political reform while addressing public concerns over its extremist roots. Despite claims of moderation, HTS remains designated a terrorist group by the US and Europe.

HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video celebrating the “victory of the blessed revolution,” urging Syrians to celebrate peacefully and focus on rebuilding the country.

Al-Sharaa promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will bring a hardline, extremist rule.

Huge crowds, including some insurgent fighters, packed Damascus' historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city for Friday prayers, many of them waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with its two green stars. According to Arab TV stations, the Friday sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week.

The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria had been tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would often emerge from Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad — before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war.

“I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.”

Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come — but there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.”

Nearby, thousands gathered in Umayyad Square, chanting for unity and denouncing the Assad regime. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” they shouted. Khaled Abu Chahine, originally from Daraa, called for justice for those involved in regime crimes.

HTS faces the challenge of gaining international recognition for Syria’s new government. Turkey backs an allied insurgent faction and opposes Kurdish advances. The US supports Kurdish-backed forces in the east and maintains troops to counter Islamic State remnants. Meanwhile, Israel continues airstrikes to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands.Blinken emphasized stability and inclusivity in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who prioritized curbing terrorism and preventing PKK influence. In Iraq, Blinken and Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani stressed vigilance against a resurgence of the Islamic State group.

“Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out,” Blinken said.

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