Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.

I'm Celia Hatton coming to you live from London.

We'll focus most of this edition on Syria.

In the cold light of day, when the celebrations go quiet,

how will the country emerge from the shadow of a 50-year dictatorship?

Mohamed al-Jolani, the rebel leader who masterminded the lightning offensive that pushed Bashar al-Assad

of power, said it was a victory for the entire Islamic nation.

But that victory comes with caveats.

The UN has also warned the next few weeks are a critical time for the country,

as it manages a fragile transfer of power. The countries around Syria are also pivoting on

the news. We'll hear how Israel, Iran and the U.S. are calculating their next moves. But first,

the view from the ground inside Syria.

People continued to celebrate in the streets of Damascus.

Mahmoud Hayar said he was enjoying every moment of the long-awaited freedom.

Today, we don't give our joy to anyone.

We've been waiting for this day for 50 years.

All the people were silenced and couldn't speak out because of the tyranny.

Today we thank and ask God to reward everyone who contributed to this day the day of liberation.

We were living in a big prison, the big prison that was Syria. It's been 50 years during which we couldn't speak,

nor express ourselves, nor express our worries. Anyone who spoke out was detained in prison,

as you saw inside Nha. Caldun Diana Damascus residents said he was hoping for a better future for the country.

God willing, we will see a new era, a good one,

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