If al-Sharaa applies & fulfils his promises, it will be the fairytale that Syrians have hoped for'

As celebrations kicked off marking the first anniversary on Monday of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, Syrians are still struggling to heal after the dynasty’s repressive 50-year rule and a 14-year civil war that killed an estimated half-million people, displaced millions more and left the country battered and divided. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Nadia Massih welcomes Nanar Hawach, Senior Analyst, for the International Crisis Group in Syria.