Syria rebel leader Sharaa declared interim president, consolidating his power
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was declared president for a transitional phase and the constitution suspended on Wednesday, in moves that tighten his hold on power less than two months after he led a campaign that toppled Bashar al-Assad.
Sharaa was also empowered to form a temporary legislative council for a transitional period, according to the announcements made during a meeting of armed groups in Damascus.
Sharaa, whose group was once an al-Qaeda affiliate, has been de facto leader since leading the offensive that deposed Assad after more than 13 years of civil war.
The decisions, which emerged from a conference that was not publicly announced, did not say when the new legislative body might be picked, or provide any new details for a timeline for the transition.
Sharaa has pledged to embark on a political transition including a national conference, an inclusive government, and eventual elections, which he has said could take up to four years to hold.
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“We announce that Leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has assumed the presidency of the country in the transitional phase,” said Colonel Hassan Abdel Ghani, spokesman for the Military Operations Command, which led the offensive that toppled Assad.