This article may be affected by the following current event: Fall of the Assad regime. Information in this article may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (December 2024) |
Mohammed al-Bashir (Arabic: محمد البشير, romanized: Muḥammad al-Bashīr; born 1983) is a Syrian politician and engineer who currently serves as the 70th prime minister of Syria. He has led the Syrian Transitional Government since 10 December 2024, which was formed after the fall of the Assad regime, and succeeds Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali in his role.[1] Al-Bashir also served as the 5th prime minister of the Syrian Salvation Government, the civilian administration of the Sunni Islamist organisation Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), between his election on 13 January 2024 and appointment as transitional prime minister.
Mohammad al-Bashir | |
|---|---|
محمد البشير | |
 Al-Bashir in 2024 | |
| 70th Prime Minister of Syria | |
| Assumed office 10 December 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali (as Prime Minister of Ba'athist Syria) Himself (as Prime Minister of the SSG) |
| 5th Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government | |
| In office 13 January 2024 – 9 December 2024 | |
| President | Mustafa al-Mousa |
| Preceded by | Ali Keda |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as transitional Prime Minister of Syria) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mohammad al-Bashir 1983 (age 40–41) Mashoun, Jabal al-Zawiya, Idlib Governorate, Syria |
| Political party | Tahrir al-Sham |
| Education | University of Aleppo (BE) Idlib University (BA) |
| Occupation | Politician |
Early life and education
editAl-Bashir was born in 1983 in the village of Mashoun, situated in the Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib Governorate.[2] He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Aleppo in 2007. By 2011, al-Bashir had become the head of the Precision Instruments Department at the gas plant of the Syrian Gas Company. After the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, he became director of the Al-Amal Educational Institute, which provided education to children affected by the war.[3] In 2021, he obtained a degree in Sharia and law from Idlib University, alongside certifications in administrative organisation and project management.[4][5]
Political career
editPrior to being appointed as a minister, al-Bashir served as the Director of Islamic Education at the Salvation Government's Ministry of Awqaf for two and a half years. Afterwards, he served as Deputy Director and then Director of Association Affairs at the Ministry of Development and Humanitarian Affairs.[5] Between 2022 and 2023, al-Bashir served as Minister of Development and Humanitarian Affairs in the cabinet of Ali Keda.[6][5]
Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government
editOn 13 January 2024, the Shura Council of the Salvation Government voted to elect al-Bashir as prime minister.[4][7] His election platform focused on e-government and government automation.[6] His administration lowered real estate fees, relaxed planning regulations,[8] and launched consultations for expanding the zoning plan of Idlib city.[9] On 5 March 2024, amid demonstrations against HTS in Idlib and the onset of Ramadan, al-Bashir signed a decree granting amnesty to prisoners who were not convicted of serious crimes.[10]
In late November 2024, the HTS-led Military Operations Command, supported by Turkish-backed rebels of the Syrian National Army, launched the Northwestern Syria offensive, leading to the capture of Aleppo and significantly increasing the extent of the Salvation Government's controlled territories. In a press conference, al-Bashir stated that the offensive was launched in response to attacks on civilians by Syrian government troops,[11] which he claimed had led to the displacement of "tens of thousands" of civilians.[12] On 4 December 2024, al-Bashir travelled to Aleppo to supervise the reopening of government offices, praising employees of the previous government who returned to work.[13]
Prime Minister of Syria
editOn 9 December 2024, following the fall of the Assad regime, al-Bashir was tasked with forming a transitional government after meeting with HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani and outgoing Syrian prime minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali to coordinate a transfer of power.[14][15][16] The next day, he was officially appointed as prime minister of the transitional government until 1 March 2025.[17][18][19] In a televised statement, al-Bashir announced that officials from the Salvation Government met with representatives of the previous government to facilitate the handover of power, and that his cabinet from the Salvation Government would assume their corresponding roles in the transitional government.[20][21]
References
edit- ^ Service, TGO News (11 December 2024). "Syria's Interim Government Prioritizes Security and State Stability". The Gulf Observer. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ "سورية: حكومة الإنقاذ في إدلب تنتخب رئيساً جديداً لها" [Syria: Idlib's Salvation Government elects new president]. Al Araby (in Arabic). 13 January 2024.
- ^ "محمد البشير: ماذا نعرف عن المرشح لرئاسة الحكومة السورية الجديدة؟" [Mohammad al-Bashir: What do we know about the candidate to head the new Syrian government?]. BBC News عربي (in Arabic). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ a b "إدلب.. محمد البشير رئيس جديد لحكومة "الإنقاذ"" [Mohammad Al-Bashir Appointed as the New Head of the 'Salvation Government']. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 13 January 2024. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "رئيس مجلس الوزراء في حكومة الإنقاذ السورية - حكومة الإنقاذ السورية" [Prime Minister of the Syrian Salvation Government - Syrian Salvation Government]. Syrian Salvation Government (in Arabic). 27 March 2023. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Engineer Muhammad al-Bashir Elected as SSG Prime Minister". Levant24. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Al-Jolani: The one-man rule". Enab Baladi. 22 April 2024. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "SSG Reduces and Cancels Some Real Estate Fees". Syria Report. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Salvation Government Studies Expanding Idlib City Zoning Plan". Syria Report. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "إدلب.. "الإنقاذ" تصدر عفوًا عن مرتكبي الجرائم وفق شروط واستثناءات" ['Salvation' issues amnesty for perpetrators of crimes according to conditions and exceptions]. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 5 March 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Syrian insurgents cut off key road as 200 die in escalating violence". The Guardian. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Armed factions of the Syrian opposition announce entry into several neighborhoods in Aleppo". SCOPE 24. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Up to Double: Commodity Prices Rise in Aleppo". The Syrian Observer. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "المعارضة السورية تكلف محمد البشير بتشكيل حكومة انتقالية" [Syrian opposition assigns Mohammed al-Bashir to form new government]. Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Syria Rebel Group Political Chief to Form Temporary Government". Bloomberg.com. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ^ Picheta, Rob; Regan, Helen (9 December 2024). "After decades of brutal rule, Bashar al-Assad's regime has been toppled. Here's what we know". CNN. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ أميركا تحث على دعم عملية سياسية "جامعة" في سوريا [US urges support for ‘inclusive’ political process in Syria]. Independent Arabia (in Arabic). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Syrian rebels name Mohammed al-Bashir head of transitional government". Le Monde. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Der Islamist im Anzug: Wer ist der syrische Übergangspremier Mohammed al-Bashir?" [The Islamist in a suit: who is the Syrian interim prime minister Mohammed al-Bashir?]. Die Presse (in German). 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Assigning Mohammed al-Bashir to Head Transitional Syrian Government". The Syrian Observer. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Mohammed al-Bashir to head Syria's transitional government". Enab Baladi. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.