Thousands of Syrians celebrate the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's government in Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A brutal civil war in Syria has torn the country apart for nearly 14 years. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, and millions more have fled their homes. But in December 2024, the rebels finally ousted President Bashar al-Assad. His family had ruled Syria harshly for over 50 years. Now at last his control is over. Still, the war has left deep scars that may never heal.