Syrian authorities appoint rebel leader as president

The rebel alliance, led by the Islamist Shar'a group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ousted Assad from power on December 8 after a lightning offensive, ending five decades of rule by his family.
Syria's new authorities announced that Ahmed al-Shara, who took over after Bashar al-Assad's ouster last month, had been appointed interim president and tasked with forming a transitional legislative assembly, state media reported.
The rebel alliance, led by the Islamist group Shara's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ousted Assad from power on December 8 after a lightning offensive, ending five decades of rule by his family, before a transitional government was set up to run the country until March 1.
Shara was appointed "president of the country in the transitional phase," state news agency SANA reported, quoting military official Hassan Abdel Ghani, without specifying a time frame, adding that he would also represent the country "in international forums."
Shara has been tasked with forming an "interim legislative council ... until a permanent constitution for the country is decided," SANA said, adding that the Assad-era parliament had been dissolved and the 2012 constitution suspended.
The announcements were made during a conference dedicated to the "victory of the Syrian revolution," which was also attended by Shara, Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaybani and the heads of the armed factions.
Abdel Ghani also announced the dissolution of all armed groups involved in the overthrow of Assad, as well as the army and security agencies of the former government.
"All military factions and political and civilian revolutionary bodies have been dissolved and integrated into state institutions."
He also announced "the dissolution of the army of the non-existent regime", the security agencies "and all the militias it created, as well as the formation of a new security apparatus to preserve the security of citizens" and "the reconstitution of the Syrian army".
The Syrian army has effectively collapsed, along with the other instruments of Assad's rule.
The Baath Party, which ruled Syria for decades, has also been dissolved.
In his speech at the event, Shara identified Syria's priorities as "filling the power vacuum, preserving civil peace, rebuilding state institutions and working to build a development-oriented economy."
"The victors' mission is heavy and their responsibility is huge," he added.
Last month, he said it could take four years to hold elections and up to three years to rewrite the country's constitution. | BGNES