A Syrian opposition fighter raises the flag of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham faction on a statue of Basil Hafez al-Assad on November 30
"}],[{"start":8.190000000000001,"text":"I have my New Year’s resolution ready, and it is to visit my homeland, Syria, for the first time since I had to flee it eight years ago. "}],[{"start":16.45,"text":"As a journalist who spent years reporting on the cost of the Assad regime’s staggering scorn for human life and dignity, I could not dream of going back to Syria as long as it remained in power. "}],[{"start":26.78,"text":"But in a shocking turn of events, it was Bashar al-Assad himself who had to pack up and flee under the cover of darkness last weekend, leaving the fate of the country and its people, including those who spent years fighting to keep him in power, in the hands of advancing rebels. "}],[{"start":41.160000000000004,"text":"His defeat brought about an end to one of the worst dictatorships in history, a fact searingly proven by the harrowing clips coming out of prisons that have fallen to the rebel groups. "},{"start":50.002,"text":"For the millions of Syrian exiles and refugees around the world, and those internally displaced, it means that we can finally go back home. "}],[{"start":58.28,"text":"The 11-day rebel offensive that ended more than 50 years of Assad rule coincided with the
![](\"https://thumbor.ftmailbox.cn/unsafe/1920x0/https://d1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net/production/6d42e977-fb54-4ff4-a5de-71c7822bc517.jpg\")