Leader of armed groups expresses readiness to seek presidency in Syria

Leader of the armed groups that took power in Damascus Ahmed al-Sharaa has stated his readiness to run for the presidency of Syria.

Ahmed al-Sharaa (known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) is ready to run for the presidency of Syria, should the citizens of the republic or his inner circle request it, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"I will put forward my candidacy for the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic if requested by the citizens or those around me," he said.

"We strive to establish a state based on institutions and the rule of law," the leader of the new Syrian authorities added.

He noted that the only way to come to power in Syria will be through the ballot box. 

On December 12, representative of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) newly empowered group Ubeida Arnaout told Agence France-Presse that Syria's transitional government would suspend the work of the parliament and the constitution for three months. 

He clarified that the new authorities would form committees on legal matters and human rights to propose amendments to the country's constitution. In late November, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions in Aleppo and Idlib provinces.

By the evening of December 7, they had captured Aleppo, Hama, Daraa, and Homs, and on December 8, they entered Damascus, after Syrian government forces withdrew from the city. Bashar al-Assad resigned as president of Syria and left the country.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the opposition-formed "Salvation Government" in Idlib province since January 2024, announced his appointment as the head of the Syrian government for the transitional period, which will last until March 1, 2025.

By Naila Huseynova