Syria’s Rebel Leader Has Been Named As The Transitional President And Pledged To Rebuild The Country
As part of the move, the country's constitution, adopted in 2012 under Assad, has been suspended, while all the military factions in the country have also been officially dissolved.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Syrian rebel leader who led the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime in December, has been named the president of the country's transitional government.
Sharaa, who had led the Islamist Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, assumed the role on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
As part of the move, the country's constitution, adopted in 2012 under Assad, has been suspended, while all the military factions in the country have also been officially dissolved and will be absorbed into state institutions, the spokesperson for the new government said on Wednesday, SANA reported.
Addressing the country on Thursday, Jan. 30, in his first speech after being appointed as the president, Sharaa pledged that he will build a transitional government that reflects the diversity of the country and work on building institutions until free and fair elections can be held.
"I stand before you today after 54 days of our liberation, the liberation of Syria from the shackles of a criminal regime that has oppressed us for decades. Fifty-four days have passed since the end of fifty-four years of the darkest forms of tyrannical rule in the entire world," al-Sharaa said.
He thanked God and all the people who struggled and made sacrifices for the country's liberation throughout the years, from demonstrators during the Syrian Revolution to the rebels, paying special tribute to those who were killed, detained, tortured by the Assad regime or remain missing, as well as their families.
"I speak to you today not as a ruler, but as a servant of our wounded homeland, striving with all my strength and will to achieve Syria’s unity and renaissance," he said.
He added that the transitional phase is a part of a political process that requires participation of all Syrians, both at home and abroad, so they can build their future in freedom and dignity and without exclusion or marginalization.
Sharaa said that he will form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase until a new constitution is adopted, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA.
Sharaa said that the transitional government's priorities will be to achieve civil peace and ensuring criminals under the Assad regime are brought to justice; unify the Syrian lands; building strong institutions; and establishing the foundations of a strong economy to restore Syria's regional and international standing, provide job opportunities, improves living conditions and restores basic services that were lost.
"Building the homeland is our collective responsibility, and this is an invitation to all Syrians to participate in building a new homeland, ruled by justice and consultation," he said. "Together, we will build the Syria of the future, the Syria of the beacon of knowledge and progress, and the haven of security and stability, the Syria of prosperity, progress and flourishing, the Syria that extends its hand with peace and respect, so that its people may return to a dear, generous, prosperous, safe, and secure homeland."
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
