SAHNAYA, SYRIA - MAY 1, 2025: Life returned to normal in the town of Sahnaya, near Damascus, on Thursday, May 1, after Syrian government forces regained control following two days of clashes with armed groups. Residents resumed their daily routines in the Eshrafiyeh Sahnaya and Sahnaya neighborhoods, as local authorities tightened security and set up new checkpoints throughout the area. The restoration of order follows months of turmoil in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia on Dec. 8 after anti-regime groups seized Damascus. His departure marked the collapse of the Baath Party's decades-long rule. On Jan. 29, Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed the country’s president.