The interim government of Syria has pledged to establish the “rule of law” following years of abuses under the ousted president Bashar al-Assad, while the United States cautioned against any actions that might reignite conflict.
Assad fled the country after a swift offensive led by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies, marking a sudden end to five decades of authoritarian rule by his family.
Celebrations erupted among Syrians both within the country and worldwide after enduring an era characterized by the imprisonment and killing of suspected dissidents, along with nearly 14 years of war that resulted in 500,000 deaths and millions displaced.
“We were living in oppression; we had no voice,” stated Ibtissam Kaab, a resident of Qardaha, Assad’s hometown.
The spokesman for the new government announced that the nation’s constitution and parliament would be suspended during a three-month transitional period.
“A judicial and human rights committee will be formed to review the constitution and propose amendments,” Obaida Arnaout mentioned.
While addressing the media at the headquarters of state television, now under new rebel authority, Arnaout declared that the government would enforce the “rule of law”.
“Those who have committed crimes against the Syrian people will face justice in accordance with the law,” he added.
When questioned about religious and personal freedoms, Mr. Arnaout stated, “We honor the religious and cultural diversity in Syria”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Jordan, Syria’s neighbor.
In remarks made while in Jordan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of avoiding any escalation of conflicts at this time.
His comments followed discussions about recent military activities by Israel and Turkey within Syrian territory.
The US aims to prevent Syria from becoming “a base for terrorism” and to ensure it does not pose “a threat to its neighbors,” added Mr. Blinken.
This concern is particularly pertinent to Turkey, which opposes the US alliance with Kurdish forces in Syria, and to Israel, which has conducted extensive airstrikes against targets in Syria since the downfall of the Assad regime.
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitoring group, reported Israeli airstrikes near Damascus, accompanied by loud explosions.
Mr. Blinken noted that the airstrikes by Israel aim “to ensure that military equipment left by the Syrian army does not fall into the wrong hands”.
He also stated that the US is “working to bring home” American citizen Travis Timmerman, who Syria announced had been released.
The Syrian leadership has expressed its readiness to cooperate with Washington in searching for missing US citizens, including journalist Austin Tice, abducted in 2012.
G7 ready to support ‘inclusive’ transition
Leaders of the Group of Seven powers have expressed their willingness to support the transition to an “inclusive and non-sectarian” government in Syria.
They called for the protection of human rights, particularly those of women and minorities, while reiterating “the importance of holding the Assad regime accountable for its atrocities”.
The joy surrounding Assad’s ousting is accompanied by uncertainty regarding the future of the country’s diverse ethnic and religious communities.
The HTS group has its roots in Syria’s branch of Al-Qaeda and is designated a terrorist organization by many Western nations, although it has attempted to moderate its rhetoric.
People celebrate outside the Ummayad mosque in Damascus
The new authorities have promised justice for the victims of Assad’s regime, with HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani pledging that officials involved in torture will not be granted immunity.
Now identifying himself as Ahmed al-Sharaa, Mr. Jolani appealed to “countries to extradite any offenders who may have fled for them to face justice”.
United Nations investigators have reported compiling secret lists detailing 4,000 individuals responsible for severe crimes in Syria since the conflict began.
“It is crucial that high-level perpetrators are brought to justice,” remarked Linnea Arvidsson, coordinator of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria.
Photos of missing people in Syria on a wall in Turkey
The UN’s World Food Programme has called for nearly €240 million to provide food assistance to displaced and vulnerable populations in Syria over the next six months.
Meanwhile, the recently ousted Baath Party announced it would halt all activities “in all its forms… until further notice” and transfer its assets to the authorities.
Assad had relied on support from Russia, where he reportedly sought refuge, as well as from Iran and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
The rebels initiated their offensive on 27 November, coinciding with a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which resulted in significant losses for Assad’s Lebanese ally.
Since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria.
In recent days, it has intensified these attacks and deployed troops into the UN-monitored buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, a move the UN has stated violates the 1974 armistice.
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In the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which were taken from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, many residents expressed hopes for peace with Israel and a return to Syrian governance.
“There is always uncertainty, but I remain hopeful,” said Talal Abu Saleh, a 69-year-old local resident.
