Mohammed al-Bashir, who is associated with HTS, is tasked with establishing an interim government.
Syrian rebels are in talks to take formal control of the country following an all-out offensive that has captured large swathes of territory, including Damascus, and ousted longtime president Bashar al-Assad. is being carried out.
Opposition leader Ahmed al-Shara, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, met with outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali on Monday to discuss the transition. Al-Jalali, who served under the al-Assad regime, agreed to transfer power to the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
“We are working to ensure that the transition period is quick and smooth,” Al Jalali said.
A transitional government will be established by Mohamed al-Bashir, who is close to HTS, the group that led the Damascus takeover, and heads their Idlib-based SSG.
Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, called for a transition process that would ensure the continuity of Syria’s institutions and allow the people to “achieve their legitimate aspirations and chart a course to restore a united Syria.” Ta.
Stephen Zunes, a political science professor at the University of San Francisco, told Al Jazeera that once established, the new government is likely to prioritize strengthening control over newly acquired territory, reorganizing government institutions, and repatriating Syrian exiles and displaced persons. he said.
The rapid advance of the HTS-led rebels marks a generational turning point in the country’s 13-year civil war. The conflict has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, sparked the largest refugee crisis in modern history, reduced cities to rubble and triggered global sanctions that have devastated economies.
As he clung to power, al-Assad faced accusations from rights groups of brutal repression, including killings, torture and enforced disappearances, as well as the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people.
“People are wondering what the new order will look like,” said Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Damascus, adding that a splintered opposition could spark intense political maneuvering. added.
“Security is one of the main concerns,” he added, adding that the onslaught of Israeli forces hitting Israeli military sites over the past two days has created “huge challenges” for Israel.
“It’s just revenge.”
In charting its new policy, HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, has sought to soften its hardline stance, granting amnesty to soldiers recruited under the al-Assad regime and pledging to protect religious minorities. .
However, the new leadership has vowed to seek “just retribution” against senior military and security officials involved in war crimes.
“We will not hesitate to hold accountable criminals, murderers, security officials and military officers involved in the torture of Syrian citizens,” al-Sharah said, calling for information on those responsible for the abuses. said it would offer incentives.
This is a “historic new beginning for the Syrian people, who have suffered unspeakable violence and brutality for the past 14 years,” the UN Commission of Inquiry into Syria said. “It is incumbent on those currently responsible to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.”
“The most important step is justice, not retribution,” said Agnes Callamard, director of human rights group Amnesty International.
