Syria reopens Aleppo's 1,300-year-old Great Umayyad Mosque after 13 years - Al-Monitor

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Syria reopened its historic Great Umayyad Mosque in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, after more than 13 years of closure following damages sustained throughout the country’s civil war. Its reopening comes nearly a year after restoration work began following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, as part of the new Syrian authorities’ efforts to revive the country’s various sectors that had been devastated by more than a decade of civil war (2011-24) and sanctions. The reopening ceremony was held on Thursday evening in the mosque, which lies within the Old City…