Mohamed al-Bashir has been appointed caretaker Prime Minister until March 1, 2025. 

Life is slowly turning to normalcy after Bashar al-Assad has fled from the country. The Assad family has been ruling in Syria for almost 50 years while Bashar al-Assad has ruled since 2000, and his father Hafez al-Assad has ruled Syria since 1971.

This group traces its origins back to the early days of Syria’s civil war. Initially formed as the Nusra Front, this group emerged as a coalition of jihadists committed to fighting pro-Assad forces. The Nusra Front maintained early affiliations with global extremist networks, including the Islamic State and later Al Qaeda. However, by 2016, the group sought to distance itself from its radical roots to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The group’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani after taking control of Damascus, the capital city of Syria has always claimed its vision to liberate Syria from this oppressive regime. He had maintained a strong control over Idlib and now claims his men are well experienced to take charge of Syria as he discussed with the current Prime Minister of Syria, Mohammad Ghazi Al Jalali.

The group has decided that the transitional government will be headed by Mohammed al-Bashir, who previously served as the head of a rebel-run administration in northwestern Syria. Across Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham assured residents it would safeguard public property and institutions.

What has all happened since 2011?

Initially began as a peaceful protest against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the uprising escalated the formation of many new groups. Syria’s Kurdish minority which claimed territory and even capitalized on the instability, seizing parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 and declaring a “caliphate.” The rebels received support from the U.S. and Arab states like Saudi Arabia, while Turkey entered the conflict to counter Kurdish militias. But the war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

What is happening to Syria’s neighbors?

The fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has intensified geopolitical tensions and raised concerns over security and stability in the Middle East.

Israel has also temporarily seized control of parts of the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights. While denying the presence of tanks near Damascus, Israel acknowledges limited troop activity beyond the buffer zone. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented over 300 strikes, including in major cities like Damascus, Aleppo, and Hama. Israel justifies these operations as efforts to prevent advanced weaponry from falling into the hands of extremist groups during Syria’s transition.

Turkey faces escalating tensions with Kurdish-led forces near Manbij, prioritizing border security. Meanwhile, Jordan and Lebanon struggle under the weight of millions of Syrian refugees, with Jordan’s economy under severe strain and Lebanon’s fragile infrastructure pushed to the brink, adding to the region’s growing instability.

Iran’s Stance After Assad’s Fall

With the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Iran faces a new challenge in maintaining its influence in Syria. Iran has expressed its desire to preserve its relationship with Syria, but the future depends on how opposition groups approach Israel. Tehran’s government has stressed the importance of Syria’s territorial integrity and despite withdrawing its forces from Syria, Iran continues to condemn Israeli actions, accusing them of exploiting Syria’s instability. Tenran’s position as a leader in the Middle East stands weak because of its failure to protect its allies first during the Russia-Ukraine war and now during the Syrian civil war. But Tehran has threatened to use all of its regional and international resources to fight Israel’s actions in the region.