By Oula Mahfouz
On Sunday, December 8, 2024, Syrian people around the world celebrated the fall of the Assad regime. They raised a flag with the three colors green, white and black – with three red stars in the middle. But what is the story behind this flag?
The independence flag: the beginning and its meaning
This flag, known as the flag of the Syrian revolution, has deep roots in the country’s history. It was first introduced by local authorities under the French Mandate administration on January 1, 1932.
This flag became known as the “Independence Flag” and became the official flag on April 17, 1946, the day Syria gained independence from the French Mandate. The flag symbolizes different eras of Islamic and Arab history:
Green: symbolizes the Caliphate of the Rightly Guided, the first four caliphs. White: Represents the Umayyad Caliphate. Black: Represents the Abbasid Caliphate. These colors were taken from the flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1920.
The three red stars originally stood for the three large regions of Syria: Aleppo, Damascus and Deir ez-Zor. After the incorporation of Latakia and Jabal al-Druze in 1936, the meaning changed: the first star: Aleppo, Damascus and Deir ez-Zor. The second star: Jabal al-Druze. The third star: Latakia.
The flag of unity with Egypt
When Syria and Egypt founded the United Arab Republic in 1958, the independence flag was replaced by a new flag Red: symbolizes the blood of the martyrs.
White: stands for peace, black: represents times of oppression and colonial rule, with two green stars in the middle originally stood for unity between Syria and Egypt. This flag symbolized Arab unity under President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
After the separation from Egypt in 1961, the independence flag returned for a short time. However, when the Baath Party came to power on March 8, 1963, several changes were made until the flag of the United Arab Republic was finally reintroduced.
The return of the independence flag during the revolution
The independence flag reappeared during the protests against the Assad regime in 2011. Demonstrators carried it as a symbol of the revolution against the government. It was flown in all provinces and became an icon of the protest movement. It was later adopted by the Syrian opposition, the Free Syrian Army and the transitional government.
The meaning of the flag today
In the areas controlled by the opposition, the green-white-black flag was officially used again. For many Syrians today, it is a symbol of the fight against dictatorship and the pursuit of freedom and justice.
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For many Syrians today, the green, white and black flag is a symbol of the fight against dictatorship and the pursuit of freedom and justice. Photo: tuenews INTERNATIONAL / Rusila Mahfouz.
