DAMASCUS, Syria (CHATNEWSTV) — The Syrian factions that toppled President Bashar Assad last month have appointed an Islamist former rebel leader as the country’s interim president, marking a major shift in Syria’s post-war landscape.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former insurgent once aligned with al-Qaida, was named president “in the transitional phase” following a meeting of ex-rebel factions in Damascus, the Syrian capital.
Col. Hassan Abdul Ghani, the spokesperson for Syria’s new de facto government’s military operations sector, announced the appointment, state-run SANA news agency reported. The exact process by which al-Sharaa was selected remains unclear.
Al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that led the offensive that ousted Assad in early December. Once affiliated with al-Qaida, HTS has since renounced those ties.
At Wednesday’s meeting, al-Sharaa, dressed in military uniform, acknowledged the challenges ahead.
“The task before us is heavy, and the responsibility is great,” he said in a video released hours later. “If the victor is arrogant after his victory and forgets the favor of Allah upon him, it will lead him to tyranny.”
He pledged to “fill the power vacuum legitimately and legally” and ensure “civil peace through transitional justice and the prevention of revenge attacks.”
Celebrations erupted across Damascus following the announcement, with residents honking car horns and firing into the air.
“This man led the battle that freed Syria,” said Abdallah al-Sweid, celebrating at Umayyad Square. “He deserves to be president.”
But not all Syrians were convinced. Some, including opposition figures, questioned the opaque selection process and the lack of a clear transition plan.
“The problem is not the decisions themselves but their timing and the confusion surrounding them,” said Mohammad Salim Alkhateb of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, a group formed in exile to oppose Assad.
Syria’s Constitution Overturned
In a sweeping move, the new government also annulled Syria’s 2012 constitution, adopted under Assad’s rule. Abdul Ghani said al-Sharaa has been authorized to form a temporary legislative council until a new constitution is drafted.
All armed factions in Syria would be disbanded and integrated into state institutions, he added. However, the logistics of merging rival rebel groups remain unclear.
International Reactions and Challenges Ahead
Qatar welcomed the appointment, calling it a step toward “enhancing consensus and unity among all Syrian parties.” Western nations, though reestablishing ties with Damascus post-Assad, remain wary of Syria’s new Islamist rulers.
The U.S. had previously placed a $10 million bounty on al-Sharaa but rescinded it last month after a U.S. delegation met with him in Damascus. Barbara Leaf, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, described him as “pragmatic.”
A key challenge remains Syria’s Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which carved out an autonomous enclave early in the civil war. The SDF did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, and clashes have escalated between Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed groups allied with HTS in northern Syria.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos this month, Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, appealed for international aid to help rebuild the war-ravaged country.
