Socks and satire: Syrians mock ousted Assad dynasty

At Basel al-Sati’s souvenir shop in a central Damascus market, socks bearing caricatures that ridicule ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and his once feared family now sell like hot cakes.

“I want to bring joy to people who’ve been deprived of happiness for so many days and years,” said Sati, 31, displaying pairs of white ankle-length socks.

“Everyone who comes from abroad wants to buy the socks — some to keep as a souvenir, others to wear mockingly and take pictures,” he told AFP.

“There…