DAMASCUS: Syria's new prime minister said the alliance that ousted president Bashar Al Assad will "guarantee" the rights of all religious groups and called on the millions who fled the war to return home. Assad fled Syria after a lightning offensive spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) group and its allies, which brought to a spectacular end five decades of brutal rule by his clan. Syrians across the country and around the world erupted in celebration, after enduring a stifling five decades that saw anyone suspected of dissent thrown into jail or killed.
With Assad's overthrow plunging Syria into the unknown, its new rulers have sought to assure members of the country's religious minorities that they will not repress them. "Precisely because we are Islamic, we will guarantee the rights of all people and all sects in Syria," said Mohammad Al Bashir, whom the rebels appointed as the transitional head of government. Asked about Syria's new constitution, he told Italian daily Corriere della Sera that "we will clarify all these details during the constituent process".
Bashir, whose appointment was announced on Tuesday, is tasked with heading the multi-ethnic country until March 1. After decades of rule by the Assads, Syrians now face the enormous challenge of charting a new course as they emerge from nearly 14 years of war. Roaming the opulent Damascus home of Assad, Abu Omar felt a sense of giddy defiance being in the residence of the man he said had long oppressed him. "I am taking pictures, because I am so happy to be here in the middle of his house," said the 44-year-old. "I came for revenge. They oppressed us in incredible ways," he added.
The war has killed more than 500,000 people and forced half the population to flee their homes, with six million of them seeking refuge abroad. In his interview with Corriere della Sera, which was published on Wednesday, Bashir called on Syrians abroad to return to their homeland. "Mine is an appeal to all Syrians abroad: Syria is now a free country that has earned its pride and dignity. Come back," he said.
"We must rebuild, be reborn and we need everyone's help." He also said that Syria's new rulers would be willing to work with anyone so long as they did not defend Assad. "We have no problem with anyone, state, party or sect, who kept their distance from the bloodthirsty Assad regime," he said.
While Assad had faced down protests and an armed rebellion for more than a decade, it was a lightning offensive launched on November 27 that ended up forcing him out of power. The fighters launched their offensive from northwest Syria on the very same day that a ceasefire took effect in the Israel-Hezbollah war in neighbouring Lebanon.
Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria said that in the past few years the HTS group has not attacked US or Western targets. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. — AFP
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