DAMASCUS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Unlike previous years of the Syrian war when the mortar shells and the shelling kept people indoor, the people of Damascus are now flocking outside to celebrate Eid al-Fitr as violence has largely abated.
In the Mazzeh neighborhood in western Damascus, children and their parents thronged amusement parks, wearing new clothes and enjoying themselves in the Eid al-Fitr, the feast that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The kids' joy and laughter were also reflected on the faces of their parents, who felt a great burden in previous years as their children were missing out on their childhood to the long-lasting war.
"The situation is calm now and much better than it was in previous years and now the sound of mortar shells have largely decreased and the situation has become better," said Muhammad Abdullah.
He added that "in previous years of war, I couldn't dare to take my kids out to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr feast, but now it's different, we are going out and enjoying our time."
What contributed to the relative calm in the capital nowadays is the de-escalation zones' deal, which was reached between major powers and went into force last month.
The deal largely helped in reducing the rate of violence across several Syrian cities, but most notably in the capital, which used to be the target of blind mortar shells that sent people cowering in their homes of fear of a blind death coming with each shell.
The victories made by the Syrian army in hot areas in the eastern countryside of Damascus have also contributed to the relative calm, which was well received by the capital residents who grew tired of the daily mortar attacks.
The good atmosphere has also revived the cross-province visits, as people from other provinces returned to the old habits of visiting their relatives in other Syrian cities.
Hussam Ayash came all the war from the central city of Homs to celebrate the Eid holiday with his in-laws.
"The difference is big between this year and previous ones and I think the situation is becoming better and we are having fun now. You can sense that from the atmosphere around," he told Xinhua.
During the war in Syria over the past six years, the Eid and other happy occasions have turned from a source of joy despair and sadness.
The fear of becoming a victim of a car bomb or a stray mortar round grips everyone, which pushed the parents to mostly keep their kids indoors.
But this has changed for the better with the de-escalation zones deal, which basically freezes the battles in certain hot zones between the Syrian government forces and the rebel groups.
Still, ultra-radical groups such as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and its affiliates, as well as the Islamic State (IS) group are excluded and the war on them is ongoing.
