STORY: Signs of normalcy begin to return in Damascus after Syria power shift
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage & Dec. 16, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 17, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:23
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: POLITICS/MILITARY

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP 1 (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter
2. STANDUP 2 (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter
3. various of Syria

STORYLINE:

STANDUP 1 (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter
"It's been just over a week since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions declared full control over Damascus. And while the country is still finding its footing, signs of change are everywhere. The streets behind me, once filled with tension and uncertainty, now carry the echoes of everyday life returning. Shops have reopened, families venture outside to buy bread and vegetables, and children, some wearing school uniforms, head back to their classrooms."

STANDUP 2 (English): HUMMAM SHEIKH ALI, Xinhua reporter
"And here in Damascus, one subtle but telling change is the price of bread. The good news is that bread is readily available again. Most bakeries have reopened and are serving customers steadily. The downside? Prices have soared, now roughly ten times higher than before. For many families, that's a tough blow. Even though the cost is high, people are relieved to have bread at all, after a period of severe shortages. Some local officials promise that as the economy stabilizes, prices will be adjusted. But for now, the bread in these bags costs significantly more, reflecting the larger economic challenges facing Syria."

At least thousands of Syrians have fled Syria due to security concerns amid chaos following the dramatic power shift in the already war-torn country.

Meanwhile, thousands of other Syrians have chosen to return home from neighboring countries like Lebanon and Türkiye.

According to UN humanitarians on Monday, more than 880,000 people have been displaced since the latest escalation of hostilities in Syria.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)