In a recent address broadcast on Syrian state television, Mohammed al-Bashir, appointed by the interim Syrian government after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led forces entered Damascus, announced his leadership of the interim administration until March 1. Bashir emphasized the administration’s priorities: ensuring security, maintaining stability, and providing basic services to the population.
Bashir, a Syrian engineer and politician, has been serving as the Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government—an entity established by HTS in Idlib—since January 13, 2024. Before his appointment as Prime Minister, Bashir held the position of Minister of Development and Humanitarian Affairs.
During his speech, Bashir stated, “Today, we held a cabinet meeting with a team from the Salvation Government in Idlib and its surroundings and the government of the ousted regime.” The appearance of two distinct flags behind him drew considerable attention: the green, black, and white flag used by opponents of Assad throughout the civil war, and a white flag inscribed with the word tawhid, typically associated with Sunni Islamist factions in Syria.
Despite the HTS leadership’s assurances regarding religious minorities and a general amnesty for Syrian soldiers, reports of executions targeting civilians and soldiers have surfaced.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) executed civilians and soldiers while forcibly displacing approximately 30,000 families in Manbij—a region previously controlled by the PKK/YPG.
Additionally, SOHR confirmed that ISIL militants captured military deserters in the desert regions during the collapse of Assad’s rule. In the Sukhna area of the Homs desert, 54 individuals were executed by ISIL forces.
