Syria's new transitional President, Ahmad Al Shara. Syria Transitional Government / AFP
Syria's new transitional President, Ahmad Al Shara. Syria Transitional Government / AFP
Syria's new transitional President, Ahmad Al Shara. Syria Transitional Government / AFP
Syria's new transitional President, Ahmad Al Shara. Syria Transitional Government / AFP

Rebels declare Ahmad Al Shara President of Syria


Khaled Yacoub Oweis
  • English
  • Arabic

A rebel coalition that overthrew Bashar Al Assad on Wednesday declared Ahmad Al Shara President of Syria, in a consolidation of power for the man who played the main role in toppling the former regime.

“We declare the taking over of commander Ahmad Al Shara of the presidency of the country,” Col Hassan Abdul Ghani, spokesman for the rebel umbrella group known as the Operations Room, said after the group met.

It is dominated by Mr Shara's Hayat Tahriri Al Sham, which traces its origins to Al Qaeda and Al Nusra Front. Col Abdul Ghani said Mr Al Shara would be president for a "transitional phase", without specifying how long.

Syrian rebel leader Al Shara meets international delegations - in pictures

The constitution that was in place under the former regime has been annulled and the military and “all security agencies of the bygone regime” have been also dissolved, he said.

Col Abdul Ghani also announced the forced dissolution of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, ostensibly the only party in Syria from 1963 to 2024.

Mr Al Shara has become the country's ruler since HTS and auxiliary forces supported by Turkey swept from their bases in the north and overran several Syrian cities before approaching Damascus, forcing Mr Al Assad to flee to Moscow.

He told the meeting that the priorities should be "filling the vacuum" left by the collapse of the former regime, "maintaining civil peace", and work towards "building economic and developmental" underpinnings for the country, according to an Operations Room statement.

Since taking de facto power, Mr Al Shara's quest to "build a state" has been overshadowed by other spillovers of the civil war, which started in 2011 after the Assad regime cracked down on a pro-democracy uprising.

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Mr Al Shara has sent forces to strengthen HTS's grip on the coastal areas that had provided core support for the Assad regime. According to activists in the area, dozens of people have been executed during the campaign, without trial, on suspicion of having taken part in regime violence.

In north and east Syria, HTS been negotiating the takeover of territory near the Euphrates River from Kurdish militia. Fighting in the area has intensified between the mostly Kurdish, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian National Army, which was created by Turkey eight years ago to counter the SDF's expansion in Syria.

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Sui Dhaaga: Made in India

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Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav

3.5/5

Motori Profile

Date started: March 2020

Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa

Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi

Sector: Insurance Sector

Size: 50 full-time employees (Inside and Outside UAE)

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Safe City Group

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

RESULTS

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
Winner: Miller’s House, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Kanood, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gervais, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Important Mission, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

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Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

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Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Brief scoreline:

Crystal Palace 2

Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'

Huddersfield Town 0

HAJJAN
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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Updated: January 30, 2025, 6:59 AM`