The new leader of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, announced in an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya on Sunday that organizing elections in Syria could take up to four years, as it would require a complete population census. He also stated that drafting a new constitution could take three years.
Rejecting criticism of the transitional government, which consists of members of HTS, al-Sharaa argued that this unity was essential for implementing the transition effectively. He also emphasized that every citizen has the right to protest, as long as it does not disrupt state institutions.
Discussions are reportedly underway between the new government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate them into the national armed forces, with no intention of partitioning the country. "There will be no division of Syria, in any form," al-Sharaa assured, adding that Syria would not become a launchpad for PKK attacks, Erdogan’s enemy. The dissolution of the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham is also expected to be announced at the upcoming National Dialogue Conference.
On the international front, the new leader praised Saudi Arabia's efforts to stabilize Syria and expressed hope that the incoming US administration under Donald Trump would lift sanctions on Syria.
However, he criticized Iran for its lack of positive gestures toward Syria and urged it to reconsider its regional policies.
Al-Sharaa also expressed his desire to maintain good relations with Russia, a long-time supporter of the previous government. "We do not want Russia to leave Syria in a way that would damage its relationship with the country," he told Al-Arabiya.
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