Syria Establishes New Government Amidst Transitional Phase

In a significant political development, Syria has officially formed a new government aimed at continuing the reconstruction of the nation following the removal of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad. On Saturday evening, Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa unveiled a cabinet consisting of 22 ministers, marking a critical step in the country's transition.

After Assad was ousted in December, a transitional government took over the administration, with a commitment to rebuilding state institutions based on principles of accountability and transparency. Notably, key figures from the previous interim administration will retain their positions, including Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra. Additionally, Anas Khattab, a close associate of President Sharaa, has been appointed as the new Minister of Interior.

The transitional government, which was led by the former prime minister from the rebel stronghold of Idlib, Mohammad al-Bashir, has made strides toward inclusivity by appointing its first female minister. Hind Kabawat, a Christian, has been designated as the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor.

At this stage, a prime minister has not been named, with expectations that President Sharaa will oversee the cabinet's operations directly.

The political upheaval in Syria reached a turning point on December 8, when a coalition of rebel forces, primarily composed of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of the capital, Damascus. Following the fall of Assad, who subsequently fled to Russia, the new authorities enacted significant changes, dissolving the previous parliament and the ruling Baath Party, and suspending the 2012 constitution.

In late January, Sharaa was appointed as the interim president, and by mid-March, he signed a constitutional declaration outlining a five-year transitional period post-Assad's regime.