Damascus Grieves: The Aftermath of Nasrallah's Assassination

Damascus mourns the assassination of Hezbollah's chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike amid increased hostilities. Residents recall his contributions and express disbelief over his death. Nasrallah's intervention in Syria played a significant role in the civil war, aiding President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Flags flew at half-mast in Damascus on Sunday, and residents expressed shock after the killing of Hezbollah's chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah's fighters aided Syria's army in reclaiming large parts of the country during its brutal civil war.

Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday amid a significant escalation in hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli military, concurrent with the Gaza war. Syria declared three days of national mourning, with President Bashar al-Assad stating that Nasrallah would 'remain in the memory of Syrians'.

Residents of Damascus voiced disbelief over Israel's killing of Nasrallah. 'He can't die. He always dreamed of martyrdom, and while this is fitting, it's still so hard to accept,' said Marwa Barkouka. 'He remains alive, not just as a martyr but because he lives inside us. We grew up with him here.'

(With inputs from agencies.)