Syria’s new flag has 3 stars now—Here’s why
A little girl looks at the sky while standing in front of supporters and members of Syrian community as they celebrate the fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Istanbul, Türkiye, Dec. 8, 2024. (AA Photo)
On the morning of Dec. 8, 2024, all Syrian state institutions officially adopted a new national flag, marking a significant moment in the country’s modern history.
This milestone comes amid sweeping changes in Syria, with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Syrian National Army (SNA) capturing key cities across the country, reshaping the nation’s political and territorial landscape.
With the Asad Regime’s Prime Minister agreeing to transfer power to the Syrian Salvation Government, things start to change.
Syrian embassies in various capitals of Europe and the Middle East have already replaced their flags with the newly adopted old design.
This flag was originally chosen by Syrian revolutionaries and opposition groups at the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011, which was part of the wider Arab Spring movement. For 14 years, this emblem became a symbol of resistance against Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian rule.
Having successfully overthrown the Assad family’s 54-year dictatorship, it was a natural choice for this flag to become the official banner of a new, free Syria.
However, the flag itself is not entirely new. It was first approved under Article 4 of the 1930 Syrian Constitution as the flag of an independent Syria following the end of the French mandate rule and used until 1958 when the Baathist Syria flag was introduced.
The flag comprises three horizontal stripes of equal size. The green stripe represents the Rashidun Caliphate, the white stripe symbolizes the Umayyad Caliphate, and the black stripe stands for the Abbasid Caliphate, reflecting historical periods during which parts of Syria were under the influence of these empires.
In the center of the white stripe are three red stars. Initially, these stars symbolized the cities of Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor.
However, in 1936, following the incorporation of the Druze Mountain (Jabal al-Druze) and the Alawite State (Jabal al-Alawites) into Syria—regions that had been French-mandated states from 1920 to 1936—the stars took on new meanings.
The first star represents Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor collectively; the second star signifies the Druze Mountain; and the third star symbolizes the Alawite Mountains, reflecting the diverse religious and ethnic composition of the nation.
