Syrian authorities reopen schools, a week after upheaval that overthrew Assad

By Timour Azhari

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Students returned to classrooms in Syria on Sunday after the country's new rulers ordered schools reopened in a potent sign of some normalcy a week after rebels swept into the capital in the dramatic overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

The country's new de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, faces a massive challenge to rebuild Syria after 13 years of civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Cities were bombed to ruins, the economy was gutted by international sanctions and millions of refugees still live in camps outside Syria.

Officials said most schools were opening around the country on Sunday, which is the first day of the working week in most Arab countries. However some parents were not sending their children to class due to uncertainty over the situation.

Pupils waited cheerfully in the courtyard of a boys' high school in Damascus on Sunday morning and applauded as the school secretary, Raed Nasser, hung the flag adopted by the new authorities.

"Everything is good. We are fully equipped. We worked two, three days in order to equip the school with the needed services for the students' safe return to school," Nasser said, adding the Jawdat al-Hashemi school had not been damaged.

In one classroom, a student pasted the new flag on a wall.

"I am optimistic and very happy," said student Salah al-Din Diab. "I used to walk in the street scared that I would get drafted to military service. I used to be afraid when I reach a checkpoint."

As Syria starts trying to rebuild, its neighbours and other foreign powers are still working out a new stance on the country, a week after the collapse of the Assad government that was backed by Iran and Russia.

Sharaa - better known by his rebel nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani - leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that swept Assad from power last week. HTS is a group formerly allied with al Qaeda that is designated a terrorist organization by many governments.

Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations met in Jordan on Saturday and agreed that a new government in Syria should respect minority rights, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari; Writing by Frances Kerry; Editing by Gareth Jones)