At least two explosions in Damascus, witnesses say; Syria’s former PM agrees to hand power to rebel forces – Middle East crisis live

Last Update: 2024-12-09 22:20:05 - Source: The Guardian

Source of explosions in the Syrian capital not immediately clear; Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali agrees to give power to rebel ‘Salvation government’, say reports

  • Full report: Syrians celebrate fall of Bashar al-Assad
  • Syrian diaspora: share your reaction to the fall of Assad

This morning our First Edition newsletter poses the question what next for Syria. My colleague Archie Bland writes:

However jubilant Syrians are today about the end of a dark chapter of their history, they know that the next is yet to be written. Because of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) past relationship with al-Qaida and the human rights abuses carried out in the areas that it has ruled, many are sceptical that it will act as the guarantor of a transition to a pluralist and democratic state. And HTS chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani himself is viewed as a terrorist by the US and others.

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