Syrian opposition leader pledges to disband President Assad's security forces, close prisons

On December 11, Mr. Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the opposition to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, announced that he would dissolve the security forces of the former government, close notorious prisons and hunt down those who torture or kill prisoners.

Interim Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir has admitted Syria is exhausted after 13 years of war, with hundreds of thousands of people killed, cities devastated and the economy weakened by international sanctions. (Source: South China Morning Post)

In an article on Syrian state television's Telegram channel, Mr. al-Sharaa affirmed that those involved in acts of torture or killing prisoners will be hunted down and will not be pardoned.

“We will pursue them in Syria and call on countries to hand over those who have fled so that justice can be served,” al-Sharaa stressed.

In the immediate aftermath of the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government , thousands of Syrians have flocked to notorious prisons in search of information about their loved ones. Some have been released, others have been confirmed dead, and many remain missing.

Mr. al-Sharaa is the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group - the strongest force in Syria at present.

Now, opposition leaders face a difficult dilemma: ensuring justice for the victims, preventing retaliatory violence and attracting international aid.

In addition, Mr. Mohammad al-Bashir, head of the interim government, has set a goal of bringing back millions of Syrian refugees, building social unity and ensuring basic needs for the people.

However, he admitted that Syria is exhausted after 13 years of war, with hundreds of thousands of people killed, cities devastated and the economy weakened by international sanctions.

Although the United Nations (UN) has also pledged to support the power transition process in Syria, HTS is still listed as a terrorist organization by the US, the European Union and the UN.

Meanwhile, the US is working to stabilize the situation in the Middle East. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have traveled to the region to support a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure a transition of power in Syria.

Many Western countries also warned outside powers against military intervention and stressed the need to respect Syria's territorial integrity.

Germany and France have asked neighboring countries such as Türkiye and Israel to refrain from actions that could harm the transition of power.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/lanh-dao-phe-doi-lap-syria-cam-ket-giai-the-luc-luong-an-ninh-cua-tong-thong-assad-dong-cua-nha-tu-297113.html