Syrian armed factions have appointed Mohammed Al-Bashir to take over as the acting head of government in Syria until March 1, 2025, SANA reported on December 10. 

Al-Bashir will be succeeding Mohammad Jalali, the former Prime Minister of the ousted Assad regime, who remained in Damascus as the rest of the former regime escaped the country on December 8 following the president and his wife on a private jet. 

The decision came after a meeting between opposition commander Ahmed Al-Sharaa (Al Jolani), Jalali and Al-Bashir. The meeting discussed power transfer and preventing chaos in Syria.

Al-Bashir, born in 1983 in Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib governorate, is a prominent figure with a diverse professional background. He graduated in 2007 with a degree in electrical and electronics engineering with a communications major from the University of Aleppo. In 2011, he worked as head of the Precision Instruments Division at the Syrian Gas Company’s gas plant.

Al-Bashir later transitioned into administrative and religious roles, serving for two and a half years as Director of Religious Education at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Guidance. In 2021, he earned a degree in Sharia and Law with honours from Idlib University and obtained a certificate in planning and administrative organisation.

In 2022 and 2023, he became the Minister of Development and Humanitarian Affairs in the Salvation Government before becoming its head. 

The Salvation Government, established in 2017 by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, initially comprised 11 ministries and has been responsible for governing services and administration in opposition-held areas, including parts of Idlib, northern Hama and western Aleppo.