Nightclubs And Bars Reopen In Damascus, Though Patronage Declined Due To Fear Of Armed Group; Bar Owner: We Were Told We Can Reopen So Long As There Is No Other Decision

Nightclubs and bars in Damascus reopened, as reported by Rudaw TV (Iraqi Kurdistan) on December 17, 2024. A bar owner expressed happiness over the reopening but noted a decline in clients due to fear of armed groups. Jad, a nightclub owner, mentioned that some bar owners from his area met with local HTS officials, who assured them that as long as there was no official ban, they could continue operating. While most tables remained empty, patrons who did visit reported that they were not mistreated by the new authority in Syria and did not encounter any problems when visiting such establishments.

Narrator: "The bars and nightclubs in Damascus are gradually opening their doors to clients. Most of the bars and nightclubs are in Bab Touma and Bab Sharqi neighborhoods. I met a bar owner who said he was happy that the nightclubs are reopening. He did not hide the fact that the number of clients has declined, out of fear of the armed groups."

Bar Owner: "There is a general fear whether this will be accepted or rejected, because of the traditions, the nature of our work, and the circumstances. People are afraid because nothing is clear yet. Several bar owners in this area went last Thursday to meet the HTS [officials] in our area, the Al-Qassaa area, and asked them if we are allowed to reopen and move on with our normal lives, and they said that as long as there is no decision preventing this, everything is completely normal. So we opened the place, and received customers."

Narrator: "Most of the tables are empty, but some people visited the bars, regardless of the situation. They say they have not been treated badly by the new authority in Syria so far, and they have not encountered any problem coming to these establishments."