DAMASCUS: One day after taking over, the commander of the rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad and took over Syria on Monday started talks about handing over power.
However, a lot of people are worried about violence and the safety of chemical weapons in the nation as foreign capitals try to interact with the new leaders.
Life appeared to return to Damascus on Monday following a day of festivities on Sunday, with people leaving the city after a nocturnal curfew and vehicles returning to the streets, although the majority of stores were still closed.
Mohammed Jalali, the prime minister of Assad, informed Al Arabiya TV that he has consented to cede control of the country to the Salvation Government, an administration situated in a small area of northwest Syria that is controlled by rebels.
The transition might take days to complete, he warned.
A source involved with the talks told Reuters that Jalali and Vice President Faisal Mekdad had met overnight with Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the chief rebel commander, to establish a transitional administration.
Mohamed al-Bashir, who oversaw the Salvation Government prior to the 12-day lightning offensive that swept across Damascus, was to lead the transitional government, according to Al Jazeera television.
On Monday, Assad’s Baath party also declared its support for transition initiatives. In a statement, party Secretary-General Ibrahim al-Hadid declared, “We will continue to support a transitional phase in Syria aimed at defending the unity of the country.”
“Avoid violence.”
The United Nations continues to designate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a terrorist organization, making diplomatic acceptance difficult for the new administration.
According to EU spokeswoman Anouar El Anouni, the EU is “not currently engaging with HTS or its leaders full stop.” Despite Golani’s first positive remarks, the alliance declared it would hold off on passing judgment on the Islamists.
Anouni stated, “We will need to evaluate not just their words but also their actions as HTS takes on greater responsibilities.”
Berlin would be keeping an eye on how HTS “deals with civilians and, in particular, minorities in the area they now control,” Germany said, pointing out that the group had taken steps to chart a different path from its Al Qaeda history.
Before Britain can interact with the rebels, HTS must reject “terrorism and violence,” according to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer, who was in Saudi Arabia on Monday, stated that he will be “absolutely clear on that red line in relation to terrorism and violence” moving forward and that it is still “far too early” to think about changing the policy.
Meanwhile, Turkiye’s top ambassador urged the UN to assist HTS and other Syrians in establishing “an inclusive administration.” Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated Monday that the United States is committed to stopping the fragmentation of Syria and the re-establishment of safe havens for the violent Islamic State group.
Attacks by Israel
Israeli officials said Monday that Israel will increase airstrikes against Syrian advanced armament stockpiles and maintain a “limited” ground force in an effort to neutralize any potential threat that might arise from the removal of President Bashar al-Assad.
According to a war monitor, Tel Aviv carried out around 100 airstrikes on Syrian military targets on Monday, including a research facility that Western nations believe has ties to Damascus’s manufacturing of chemical weapons.
According to Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “Israeli warplanes launched over 100 strikes in Syria today, including on the Barzah scientific research center.”
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the UN’s chemical watchdog, said Monday that it had cautioned Syrian authorities to ensure that suspected chemical weapons stockpiles were secure following the regime change.
“With a view to emphasising the paramount importance of ensuring the safety and security of all chemical weapons related materials and facilities” in Syria, the OPCW said it had reached out to the country.
The US has a “clear interest in ensuring that whatever weapons of mass destruction or components are left in Syria do not fall into the wrong hands,” according to Blinken.
Applications for asylum
In the meanwhile, European nations have suspended Syrian asylum requests until further notice.
Tens of thousands of open claims are impacted by the ruling, which is a reflection of both the quickly shifting political landscape in Syria and the rise of right-wing parties in Europe that are eager to impose immigration restrictions.
Germany, which is now home to around a million Syrians, announced Monday that it would not consider refugee petitions until political developments in Syria were better understood.
The British interior ministry said it was evaluating the issue, and the country also halted judgments on refugee petitions.
A suspension of Syrian requests was also declared by Norway, Austria, and France, which stated that it aimed to make a similar announcement soon.
