The flag of the Syrian opposition, which has effectively become the new flag of Syria following the fall of Bashar Assad's regime, is now flown over numerous institutions in the capital, Damascus, and other cities. This flag has a long history, dating back to at least 1932, if not earlier.
Known as the Independence Flag, it features three horizontal stripes in green, white and black, with three red stars on the white stripe. During the rebels' surprise attack and subsequent takeover of Damascus, the flag was ubiquitous in opposition videos. Fighters carried it everywhere, using it as a symbol of their victory and posing with it in photographs.
3 View gallery
Syrian Independence Flag raised at embassy in Moscow
(Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)
Throughout its history—from the Great Arab Revolt of 1916 through the French Mandate and the civil war that began in 2011—the Syrian flag has undergone numerous changes. The three-star "Independence Flag," which has now returned to prominence, is deeply rooted in Syria's historical narrative. It was, in fact, Syria's first official national flag.
In the past, Syria's official flag was that of the Ottoman Empire, which remained in use until the last Ottoman soldier left Damascus in 1918. During the Great Arab Revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans, the rebels adopted a new flag with three horizontal stripes—black, green and white from top to bottom—and a red triangle on the left, with its base at the hoist and its tip pointing to the right. This flag was raised in Damascus in 1918 after the Ottomans were driven out.
In March 1920, the Syrian National Congress declared Syria's independence and crowned Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein bin Ali as king. A white star was added to the red triangle on the flag to mark this new era. However, this independence was short-lived. The Allies refused to recognize Syria's sovereignty and instead placed it under the French Mandate. During this period, the French altered Syria's flag twice, with both designs incorporating a small French flag in the upper left corner.
The flags imposed during the French Mandate were widely rejected by the Syrian people. In 1925, during the Great Syrian Revolt, Syrians sought a flag that symbolized their sovereignty. The Independence Flag, which is now once again the national flag of Syria, first appeared in 1928 in the draft constitution of the First Syrian Republic, while Syria was still under the Mandate. It was officially flown for the first time in Aleppo in 1932 and later in Damascus.
At the time, each color of the Independence Flag had specific symbolism: green represented the first caliphate following the death of the Prophet Muhammad; white symbolized the Umayyad dynasty; and black stood for the Abbasid Caliphate. The three red stars initially represented the cities of Aleppo, Damascus and Deir ez-Zor, key strategic centers in Syria.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
However, in 1936, after Latakia and the Druze Mountains (Jabal al-Druze, in the Sweida region) were annexed to Syria, the meaning of the stars evolved: one star represented Aleppo, Damascus and Deir ez-Zor, while the other two signified the Druze Mountains and Latakia.
After Syria gained independence from the French Mandate in 1946, the Mandate flag was replaced with the Independence Flag, which became the official national emblem. This flag remained in use until 1958, when Syria united with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic.
During this period, the flag was replaced with a new design featuring three horizontal stripes—red, white and black—with two green stars on the white stripe, symbolizing Syria and Egypt. This design later became associated with the Baath regime.
Following the dissolution of the United Arab Republic in 1961, the Independence Flag briefly returned as Syria's national flag, lasting only three years until 1963. When the Baath Party came to power, it reinstated the flag of the United Arab Republic, but with a modification: a third green star was added to symbolize a planned unification with Egypt and Iraq. However, the collapse of the Baath government in Iraq ended these aspirations, leaving the flag as a relic of the failed union.
In the years that followed, Syria’s flags underwent further changes. In 1971, during Hafez Assad's rule, Syria joined the Union of Arab Republics with Egypt and Libya, adopting a new flag. The three stars from the previous design were replaced with an image of a hawk, accompanied by the inscription "Union of Arab Republics."
However, the union was short-lived, and in 1980, Hafez Assad revised the flag once more. He reinstated the flag used during the 1958–1961 United Arab Republic era between Syria and Egypt, featuring two green stars. This flag remained Syria’s national emblem until just last week.
The Independence Flag, featuring three green stars, resurfaced in 2011 with the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, reintroduced by the opposition as a symbol of their cause. It became the official flag of the opposition and, as of last week, has been adopted as the new national flag of Syria.
Just Sunday, Syrians were seen proudly flying it atop poles at schools and even attaching it to planes at the airport, marking its return as a powerful emblem of the country’s evolving identity.