New Delhi:
Days after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, Mohammad al-Bashir was appointed the transitional prime minister and entrusted with bringing sustained stability to the country. Mr Bashir, a little-known politician thus far, will lead the interim government until March 1, 2025. Backed by the coalition that overthrew the 53-year-old Assad dynasty, Mr Bashir inherits a deeply divided country battered by 13 years of civil war, with many living in poverty.
In his first address as transitional leader, Mr Bashir, a former administrator from a rebel-controlled enclave in the northwest’s Idlib province, said, “Now it is time for this people to enjoy stability and calm.”
Who is Mohammad al-Bashir?
- Mohammad al-Bashir was born in 1983 in Jabal al-Zawiya, Idlib, an area previously dominated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies.
- He studied electrical and electronic engineering at Aleppo University and Islamic and civil law at Idlib University. Before entering politics, he worked for Syria’s state gas company.
- Mohammad al-Bashir was the head of the “Salvation Government (SG),” established in Idlib in 2017 to manage governance in the rebel-held areas.
- The Salvation Government operated like a state, with ministries, judicial authorities, and a religious council based on Islamic law. Under Mr Bashir’s leadership, the SG took over public services in Aleppo after HTS and allies took over earlier this month, restoring electricity, telecommunications, and other essential services.
- Before leading the government, he held the role of “development minister” within the same administration.
Where is Assad now?
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Moscow, was ousted after rebel forces, spearheaded by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, took control of Damascus. Jolani vowed to pursue those responsible for war crimes and torture.
Following the fall of the Assad regime, families of the tens of thousands of missing detainees have mobilised, searching for their loved ones held in prisons. As rebels advanced, they released many prisoners but many more remain unaccounted for.
The UN has said that whoever emerges in power must hold Assad and his associates accountable for their crimes. Syrian rescue groups are calling for assistance in locating secret jails and detainees, while the Israeli military has launched several airstrikes in Syria, targeting military facilities.
In Damascus, life is gradually returning to normal, but the scars of war remain. Banks and shops reopened for the first time, traffic flowed back onto the roads, and street cleaners were busy clearing debris.
The presence of armed men has significantly reduced, with sources close to the rebels confirming that their command has ordered fighters to withdraw from urban areas. In their place, police and internal security forces linked to the rebel group HTS have taken over to maintain order.
