EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — The fall of President Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian regime is a historical moment that San Diego's Syrian community continued celebrating on Saturday at Kennedy Park in El Cajon.
ABC 10News was there and heard the important messages local Syrians are now raising about Syria establishing a new government.
Some local Syrians also expressed their reservations about returning to Syria, even just to visit. Many feel they are cautiously optimistic about Syria's rebuild phase, as it is just beginning.
Asem Alabdullah, a Syrian refugee, said he does not feel safe going back to Syria yet, and one interpreter translating from Arabic to English said Alabdullah still has questions.
"He wants to make sure all these people who had their hand in the killing of these Syrians get punished, and [wants to wait until] the international law says people are safe to go back."
A new Syrian rebel leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, is now in the spotlight and controversial to many.
However, some Syrian refugees here in San Diego say they are grateful to al-Jawlani
Sawsan Abdulmouo, a Syrian refugee, said, "We thank him so much because he freed Syria, and that is not something we ever imagined would be possible or ever dreamt of."
Al-Jawlani's rebel group forced the oppressive Assad regime to leave Syria two weeks ago.
Assad's regime was the reason why so many Syrians fled to San Diego as refugees.
Local Syrians say the last big wave of refugees came to San Diego in 2016. Rima Alkhateebe was among them.
"I remember I was about 9 years old," Alkhateebe said. "I remember the air strikes. I remember bombs."
Alkhateebe says while she doesn't know much about the rebels, she is certain of one thing.
"We don't also want to fall again for another kind of regime. We want someone who will take care of their own," Alkhateebe said.
Many Syrians Saturday said they were also grateful to America, who stood by the Syrian people when no one else would.
Majdal: an arab community center in San Diego wrote ABC 10News that the Syrian community now hopes the U.S. will lift sanctions on Syria to enable the rebuilding of the country that has been devastated for nearly 13 years.
Abdullah and his interpreter said, "All we want from America and other countries is to support the Syrian people and not to push any decision or anything onto the Syrian people. Let the people decide for themselves."
