Hundreds of Syrian protesters gathered Thursday at Umayyad Square in Damascus for the first time since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government and the country’s sudden takeover by jihadi-led rebels. Protesters from secular parties and groups called for their broad participation in the incoming government to help build a modern Syria free from sectarian and religious divisions. Others advocated for a national dialogue aimed at creating an inclusive future for all Syrians. (AP video shot by Abdulrahman Shaheen)

Damascus gathering calls for broad participation in new Syrian government

Hundreds of Syrian protesters gathered Thursday at Umayyad Square in Damascus for the first time since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government and the country’s sudden takeover by jihadi-led rebels. Protesters from secular parties and groups called for their broad participation in the incoming government to help build a modern Syria free from sectarian and religious divisions. Others advocated for a national dialogue aimed at creating an inclusive future for all Syrians. (AP video shot by Abdulrahman Shaheen)