Listen
A half-century of dynastic authoritarian rule came to a shockingly abrupt end with the overthrow of Bashar al Assad.
The dictator and his family fled the country for Russia as his regime crumbled.
It's unleashed an outpouring of Syrians seeking answers about what happened to their relatives who had disappeared - with some confronted by horrors in the country's notorious jails.
Gregg Carlstrom is a Middle East correspondent for The Economist, talks to Susie about the latest.
This aerial photo shows smoke billowing from a building in Damascus on 8 December 2024, after rebels took the city. Photo: AFP / Omar Haj Kadour