Ahmed al-Sharaa named Syria’s president after overthrow of Assad dynasty

Ahmed al-Sharaa takes charge as Syria’s transitional president after Assad's fall, vows reforms and stability.

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Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has been named as the country's president for the "transitional period," according to state media reports.

The announcement follows his role in leading the offensive that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad seven weeks ago.

Military commander Hassan Abdul Ghani also declared the cancellation of Syria’s 2012 constitution and the dissolution of Assad’s former parliament, army, and security agencies.

Sharaa, as president, is tasked with forming an interim legislative council to govern until a new constitution is approved.

“All groups which opposed Assad in the 13-year civil war will be dissolved and integrated into state institutions,” Ghani said.

The announcements were made during a "Conference for Announcing the Victory of the Syrian Revolution" held in Damascus on Wednesday, attended by commanders of rebel factions that fought alongside Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Sharaa, speaking at the event in military uniform, emphasized that the new leadership would face significant challenges. He said, “The first priority is to fill the power vacuum in a legitimate and legal way,” and stressed the importance of maintaining civil peace. "We must seek transitional justice and prevent revenge attacks," he added.

Rebuilding state institutions, especially the military, police, and economic infrastructure, was also a key point raised by Sharaa.

He further noted that holding new elections would take up to four years, a process that would require a new census and a completely rewritten constitution, which could take as long as three years to complete.

Sharaa reiterated plans for a “national dialogue conference” to bring together all components of Syrian society.

This follows his interview with Al Arabiya TV in late December, where he explained that the election process would require significant time and preparation.

In the early stages of the Syrian civil war, Assad's violent crackdown on a peaceful pro-democracy uprising sparked a conflict that has led to over half a million deaths and displaced 12 million people.

HTS, once an al-Qaeda affiliate and still classified as a terrorist organization by the UN, US, EU, and UK, played a pivotal role in the final rebel stronghold in north-western Syria.

On 8 December, after rebels entered Damascus and defeated Assad’s forces in a rapid 12-day campaign, Assad resigned and fled to Russia.

An interim government, led by former administration head Mohammed al-Bashir, is now tasked with governing Syria until March.