Syrian refugees in Calgary react to fall of Assad regime with joy, trepidation

Coup aftermath considered by Syrians in Calgary There's joy and trepidation among Syrian refugees in Calgary in the aftermath of the ousting of the Assad regime in that country.

The fall of the Assad regime in Syria sparked waves of celebration through the Syrian diaspora worldwide.

Sunday in Calgary, hundreds celebrated in front of city hall, waving Syrian and Canadian flags, dancing and chanting in celebration.

"This is the right path for a glorious future. Any hiccups along the way, we will deal with it, but this is the right path for Syria," said Sam Nammoura, co-founder of the Syrian Refugee Support Group.

"I hope the youth will live without fear and they will live their life and they will love and they will flourish."

Nathir Haimoun escaped Syria when he was 19 years old.

Now a Canadian citizen and a university lecturer in economics, Haimoun said he has high hopes that the regime change in Damascus will have a positive outcome for the people there.

"Twelve years after that experience of being displaced, I still have dreams or nightmares about it," Haimoun said.

"Syria has been laid to waste. We need to build democratic institutions to ensure a good quality of life for all Syrians."

Despite the hardships, Haimoun remains hopeful for Syria's future.

"My hopes are very high in a democratic system in Syria that includes everybody. Syria is a very diverse country. ... I'm hopeful that Syrians will be able to pull it together, build institutions, have a democracy and a better life," he said.

The leaders of the rebel force that overthrew the Assad regime say they will respect religious and political freedoms, but the coalition of forces is tenuous.

It is led by the group HTS, which was once allied with Al-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organization by many nations, including Canada.

There are fears a power vacuum may now spark a resurgence of ISIS in the region.

Middle East expert Elliot Tepper says while it's clearly a victory for the Syrian people, the future remains uncertain.

"I think everybody wants to see if we're headed to a period of rejuvenation and stability somehow in Syria, or whether chaos is going to break out and make the return of the diaspora problematic," Tepper said.

In a written statement on Sunday, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly welcomed the end of the Assad regime, saying, "This event marks a significant turning point for the Syrian people, who have endured unimaginable hardship under the rule of Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez al-Assad."

Jolie recapped 50 years of brutal oppression in in Syria, including the regime's use of chemical weapons on the civilian population.

"As Syria turns the page on this dark chapter, the days, months and years ahead will be critical. It is our hope that the Syrian people will unite to forge an inclusive and sustainable future, one that uplifts all communities and paves the way for prosperity and peace for generations to come. This is an opportunity to rebuild a Syria where all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion or background, can live with dignity," she said.

Jolie went on to say Canada remains committed to seeing members of the Assad regime face justice in the international court.

On Monday, several European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, announced they would pause the processing of Syrian refugee applications.