Syrian rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani met with outgoing Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali and discussed the “transfer of power,” the rebels said Monday, a day after toppling President Bashar al-Assad.
Jolani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, met Jalali “to coordinate a transfer of power that guarantees the provision of services” to Syria’s people, said a statement posted on the rebels’ Telegram channels.
A short video of the meeting showed it was also attended by Mohammed Bashir, who heads the rebels’ “Salvation Government” in their northwest Syria bastion.
Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had been administering swathes of Idlib province and parts of neighboring areas until November 27, when along with allied factions it launched a lightning offensive, seizing government-held territory and capturing Damascus on Sunday.
Bashir’s name has been circulating as the most likely candidate for prime minister in the transitional post-Assad administration.
In the video, Jolani was heard telling the outgoing prime minister that although “Idlib is a small region lacking resources,” authorities there “have a very high-level of experience after starting with nothing.”
Jalali said Sunday he was ready to “cooperate” with any leadership chosen by the people and for any handover process.
The Salvation Government, which has ministries, departments, judicial, and security authorities, was set up in 2017 to assist people cut off from government services in the stronghold.
Authorities from the area have already started returning services, including water, communications, and power, to Syria’s second city, Aleppo, after the rebels seized it in their offensive.