From colonial rule to authoritarian regimes

The flag now flying over Damascus—three horizontal stripes of green, white, and black, with three red stars on the white band—carries deep historical significance. 

Known as the "Independence Flag," it represented Syria from 1930 to 1958 and briefly from 1961 to 1963 before being replaced by pan-Arab banners reflecting the ideologies of Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser and later the Baath Party. 

Today, this flag has been revived by the Sunni Islamist groups that have taken control of Damascus, symbolizing both the end of the Assad era and a distinct break from global Islamist movements that favor monochromatic flags symbolizing a universal Islamic caliphate.

Syria's modern history has been marked by continuous struggles for national identity and sovereignty. Its borders were drawn during the secret 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France, dividing the Ottoman Levant. 

France's mandate over Syria began after World War I, leading to fragmented governance that reflected the region's complex ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity.

Lacking administrative and economic unity, Syria was divided into multiple autonomous states by the French, catering to various sects and communities. This division sowed the seeds of future discord, especially among Sunni Arabs who viewed these divisions as undermining national unity. 

France's heavy-handed rule led to the Great Syrian Revolt (1925-1927), forcing Paris to merge Damas, Aleppo, and the Druze regions into a federal Syrian Republic while maintaining autonomy for the Alawites and separating Lebanon entirely.

The Rise of Authoritarian Rule

After gaining independence in 1941, Syria oscillated between fragile parliamentary systems and military coups. Nationalist and pan-Arab ideologies gained traction, leading to the short-lived union with Egypt under the United Arab Republic (1958–1961). 

Eventually, Hafez al-Assad, an Alawite air force general, seized power in 1969 through the Baath Party, establishing a centralized authoritarian state. His rule relied heavily on the Alawite minority and marginalized the Sunni majority.

Hafez al-Assad's regime suppressed opposition ruthlessly, exemplified by the brutal suppression of the Sunni uprising in Hama in 1982. His son, Bashar al-Assad, inherited this strategy, brutally responding to the 2011 Sunni-led uprising, a reaction that spiraled into a devastating civil war.

The Fall of Assad and the Return of the Independence Flag

Bashar al-Assad's survival for over a decade was largely due to support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. However, the onset of Russia's war in Ukraine in 2022 and Hezbollah's weakening under Israeli strikes in the 2023 conflict eroded this support. As Assad's grip weakened, Sunni Islamist groups took control of Damascus, reviving the Independence Flag as a symbol of Syrian nationalism, distinct from transnational Islamist movements.

This symbolic return to Syria's historical flag signals not only the end of Assad's regime but also an attempt by the new rulers to position themselves as Syrians first. This strategy of apparent moderation aligns with the approach of their leader, Abu Mohamed al-Julani, aiming to distance the movement from extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

A century of fragmented governance, sectarian divisions, and authoritarian rule has left Syria deeply scarred. The question remains whether the Sunni victors can rebuild a unified and viable state. 

A flag, however symbolic, cannot by itself unify a fractured nation. The challenge lies in transcending deep-rooted divisions and establishing inclusive governance that reflects Syria's complex social fabric.