In Syria, Engineer Mohammed al-Bashir, a senior official of the Islamic group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Syria’s new interim administration.
According to reports from foreign news agencies, Mohammed al-Bashir has previously led the Salvation Government, affiliated with HTS, which governed parts of northwestern Syria and parts of Idlib.
Multiple reports on Monday indicated that he had met with HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani and Mohammed al-Jalali, who had also served as Prime Minister under the government of Bashar al-Assad.
In recent days, HTS and Turkey-backed militants had taken control of Damascus, the capital of Syria, early on Sunday.
Mohammed al-Bashir now faces the challenge of overseeing Syria’s transition, addressing political instability, and rebuilding war-torn areas previously under HTS control.
Who is Mohammed al-Bashir?
Mohammed al-Bashir is a Syrian engineer and politician who began serving as the fifth Prime Minister of the self-declared HTS administration, the Syrian Salvation Government, in January.
According to details published by the Salvation Government, Mohammed al-Bashir was born in 1983 in the Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib.
Before he was appointed Prime Minister, Mohammed al-Bashir served as the Minister of Development and Human Affairs of the SSG from 2022 to 2023. He is a former employee of the Syrian Gas Company and holds degrees in engineering, Sharia law, and legal studies, as well as expertise in administrative planning.
He obtained a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Aleppo University in 2007, specializing in communications. In 2010, he completed an advanced English language course under the Ministry of Education.
In 2021, he earned a degree in Sharia and Law with honors from Idlib University. That same year, he also received a certificate in Administrative Planning and Project Management from the Syrian International Academy for Training, Languages, and Consulting.
Afterward, he worked as an engineer overseeing the establishment of gas plants affiliated with the Syrian Gas Company.
Developments Under Mohammed al-Bashir’s Leadership!
After the Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad in 2021, Mohammed al-Bashir left his government job and joined the ranks of the revolutionaries in the “military field.”
Between 2022 and 2023, Mohammed al-Bashir served as Minister of Development and Human Affairs during the tenure of his predecessor, Ali Kaida.
In January 2024, the Shura Council of the Salvation Government elected him as Prime Minister. His electoral platform prioritized e-government and the automation of public services.
During his administration, real estate fees were reduced, planning regulations were relaxed, and consultations were initiated to expand the zoning plan for the city of Idlib.
In late November, when HTS and other Syrian groups launched an attack on northwestern Syria, capturing Aleppo, Mohammed al-Bashir held a press conference and stated that the attack was a response to the Syrian government’s attacks on civilians, which, he claimed, had displaced “thousands” of people.
On December 4, Mohammed al-Bashir visited Aleppo to inaugurate government offices and praised the former administration employees who had returned to their duties.
On Monday, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, he was tasked with forming the interim government.
