Making It Official

The Islamist rebel alliance that overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad in December appointed the country’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as the country’s interim president Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

During an event in Damascus, new government officials, including commander Hassan Abdul Ghani, announced al-Sharaa’s new role as interim leader, saying he would represent the country and form a “temporary legislative council” until the new constitution is ready.

Ghani, who is spokesman for the Syria Military Operations Command, also unveiled a series of resolutions, including one suspending Syria’s 2012 constitution, noting that it could take up to three years to draft a new one. Al-Sharaa had already said that it might be four years before new elections are held, the BBC reported.

He also said Syria’s parliament, army, security agency, and all armed groups who took part in Assad’s ousting have been dissolved, according to the BBC.

Al-Sharaa called for a new, unified military but it is unclear how he plans to bring together members of a patchwork of rebel groups who have different leaders and ideologies.

In his speech Wednesday, al-Sharaa claimed his priorities are to fill the current power vacuum, safeguard civil peace, rebuild state institutions, and build a “development-oriented economy.” In the last few years, he has tried to convey the idea that he values pluralism and tolerance and will safeguard women’s and religious minorities’ rights.

A national dialogue conference where Syria’s different communities will be invited is rumored to being planned but no date has been set.