Syria to be led by transitional government
Published: Tuesday, Dec 10th 2024, 18:50
Zurück zu Live Feed
Syria is preparing for a change of power following the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. The country is to be led by a transitional government until March 2025. The current head of government of the rebel stronghold of Idlib, Mohammed al-Bashir, is reportedly leading this. According to reports, al-Bashir studied electronics engineering and Islamic law. He is in his early 40s.
The Islamist group HTS launched its offensive from the north-western province of Idlib. After more than 13 years of civil war, rebels captured the capital Damascus on Sunday. President Assad, who had been in office since July 2000, fled to Russia.
While the first people in Damascus are going about their daily business again, aid organizations are warning that the violence in the country is not yet over.
Smooth transfer of government business planned
At a meeting in Damascus, the leader of the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously appeared under his combat name Abu Mohammed al-Julani, and ministers from the current government discussed the transition. Both sides are reportedly aiming for a smooth transfer of administrative responsibilities.
Central bank employees return to work
In a first step towards normality, employees of the Syrian central bank have returned to their workplaces, according to eyewitnesses. Residents watched as the employees entered the building in the capital Damascus.
The employees of the central bank were probably initially absent from work due to the uncertain situation. According to eyewitnesses, some people looted the main branch of the central bank in Damascus on Sunday. Aid organizations warned that this would make it more difficult to provide aid to the country, as reliable money transfers would not be possible.
Ministries called on their employees to go back to work.
UN mediator: Israel must end attacks in Syria
UN special envoy Geir Pedersen is calling on Israel to cease its ground operations and bombing raids in Syria. These latest military operations are "very worrying", explained the Syria mediator in Geneva. "This must stop. This is extremely important", he said. Following the fall of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, Israel has flown its heaviest attacks in Syria to date, according to activists. Israel attacked more than 100 targets in the country in less than twelve hours, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Pedersen pointed out that although the various armed groups in Syria are currently well coordinated following Assad's flight, they are still not united. "It is important that there is no conflict between these groups," said the Norwegian UN diplomat.
Israel denies reports of Israeli tanks near Damascus
Israel refuted reports that Israeli tanks were also close to the Syrian capital Damascus. An Israeli military spokesperson wrote on Platform X that reports of Israeli forces approaching Damascus were "completely false".
Israeli troops are in the buffer zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria and at "defense points near the border", wrote spokesman Avichai Adraee. The aim is to protect the border with Israel. Foothills of the buffer zone are located around 50 kilometers from Damascus.
Following the fall of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad and the takeover of control by rebels, Israel had deployed forces in the buffer zone on the occupied Golan Heights and other locations, including on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said it was a temporary measure "until a suitable arrangement is found".
Fighting between pro-Turkish rebels and Kurds
Pro-Turkish rebels are continuing their fight against Kurdish militias. After heavy fighting, they have captured the northern Syrian city of Manbij from Kurdish militias, as the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activists confirmed to dpa. The takeover was preceded by two weeks of fighting, parallel to the advance of the Islamist-led rebel alliance towards Damascus.
Turkey is occupying border areas in northern Syria with the support of the SNA, which consists of several rebel groups. Turkey considers the Kurdish militias active there to be an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and therefore a terrorist organization. On Monday evening, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that he would not tolerate their presence on the border with Turkey.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic