Syria’s De-Facto Head Named President of Transitional Syria as Constitution Suspended

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has served as Syria’s de facto leader since leading a military offensive that resulted in Assad’s removal last month, has been appointed as the president for a transitional phase, Al Jazeera reports.

The announcement, made by state news agency SANA, also revealed that the country’s constitution has been suspended.

Al-Sharaa has been granted the authority to establish a temporary legislative council. This council will function until a new constitution is enacted. The announcement was delivered by Hassan Abdel Ghani, spokesperson for the newly formed de facto government’s military operations sector, during a meeting in Damascus with various armed factions that participated in the offensive.

In a move reflecting the current power transition, Abdel Ghani also declared the dissolution of armed factions throughout the country. He stated that these groups will be integrated into state institutions, marking a significant step towards consolidating power under the new administration.

Under al-Sharaa’s leadership, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group has emerged as the primary governing body, establishing an interim government largely composed of officials from the local administration that previously operated in rebel-controlled Idlib province.

Al-Sharaa has committed to initiating a political transition process that includes a national conference, the formation of an inclusive government, and the possibility of elections within a timeframe of up to four years. However, he highlighted the challenges ahead in forming a unified national army and security apparatus, given the diverse leadership and ideologies of the existing opposition rebel groups.