Flag of Syria

With the recent overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria and the rapid expansion of HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), the official Flag of Syria has been removed and replaced with a similar flag, however it replaces the red with green and there is an extra star in the white panel. Despite what many may think, this flag is not a ‘new’ flag and has been previously used as the official flag. This blog explains the historical significance of some of the 10 flags used as official flags for the country of Syria.

The First Syrian Flag – The Kingdom of Syria (1920)

The First Syrian Flag was under the Kingdom Of Syria in 1920. While this kingdom did not last long, it was the initial establishment of a state of Syria after the Sykes-Picot agreement divided the Middle East. This flag is also the most unique flag of the previous official flags – a black, green and white panel respectively and a red triangle from the left-side of the flag. Inside the red flag is a white 7-point star flag. It is believed that each color refers to a caliphate that had occupied Syrian land in the past.

The Kingdom only lasted 4 months before French colonial rule took over.

The Flag of Syria Under French Occupation (1920 – 1930)

The first flag was abandoned with the arrival of the French. The French brought in a new flag – the French flag in the top left-hand corner with green panels straddling a white center panel. For years this flag was the official flag of Syria – in 1925 when Syria transitioned to the State of Syria, the flag remained. The flag was the official flag of Syria between 1920 and 1930.

Independence Flag – First Syrian Republic, Second Syrian Republic (1930 – 1958, 1961 – 1963, 2025)

This flag which you may have seen a lot of lately, is the flag of the First and Second Syrian Republics. The green panel, white panel, black panel and 3 red stars. The three red stars initially represented the 3 largest districts (or cities) Aleppo, Damascus, and Deir ez-Zor.

The United Arab Republic and Ba’athist Syria (1958-1961, 1980 –2024)

The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic, the red paneled flag with two stars was first used under the 1958 United Arab republic which bought Syria and Egypt together under one singular state. The two green stars represent Egypt and Syria.

This Syrian flag also represents the regime and government of Bashar al Assad.

The flag ha been in use since 1980. The current tri-colour of the Syrian Arab Republic is meant to be a nod to Arab unity. Despite the fact that Syria is now completely independent, they’ve still kept pan-Arabic colours as a nod to their previous constitutional arrangements. Like many countries with a turbulent past, Syria has also had its fair share of flags.

This design was originally created in 1958. It is inspired by the flag of Arab liberation, which many of you will note are the same colours as almost all flags in the Middle East. Sometimes they are known as pan-Arabic colours. The red was meant to represent the Hashemite Dynasty, white represents the Umayyad Dynasty, green the Fatimid Dynasty and finally black the Abbasid Dynasty.

Red: Represents the blood shed in the revolution for the freedom of Syrians

White: A wish for a peaceful revolutionary future

Green stars: Syria and Egypt together – as per the united state that briefly existed.

Black: The oppression that Arabs have suffered

The Independence Flag Under HTS

The current flag you have seen HTS and civilians alike hold in Syria is indeed the flag used under the irst and Second Republics of Syria. What is interesting, is many countries have now raised this flag in their Syrian embassies and consulates, such as Kuwait.

Only time will tell how many other states will recognise the ‘new’ Syrian flag officially – and recognizing the flag is a huge political move. While once the streets of towns and cities were filled with the Ba’athist Syrian flag, many of these paintings are being removed and the new flag replaced.