Syrians in Aleppo and Damascus rebuild ordinary life as bombings persist

Syria is experiencing a fragile return to ordinary life after the Assad regime's fall, but bombings, economic hardship, and unresolved trauma show how easily normalcy can still be shattered. In Aleppo, children play soccer where battles once raged; Syrians crowd cafes and enjoy concerts. Yet deadly bombings in Damascus, including near a visiting French president, killed and wounded civilians, while disputes over parliament and uneven reconstruction persist. The new freedom to speak openly about past atrocities marks a shift, but over 100,000 disappeared remain unaccounted for, and minority communities face fresh grief. Justice and remembrance will take years.