Refugees are returning to Syria following the appointment of a caretaker prime minister

Refugees from Syria civil war began returning home on Wednesday, following the announcement of a new interim prime minister who claimed to have the support of the rebels that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. officials, in discussions with the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), advised against assuming immediate control of the nation. They emphasized the importance of establishing an inclusive process for creating a transitional government.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the new administration must “commit to fully respecting the rights of minorities, ensuring humanitarian aid reaches all those in need, and preventing Syria from becoming a haven for terrorism or a threat to neighboring countries.”

HTS, which was previously affiliated with al-Qaeda and played a significant role in the anti-Assad movement, has recently sought to distance itself from its jihadist origins.

In a short speech broadcast on state television on Tuesday, Mohammed al-Bashir, a relatively unknown figure in Syria, announced that he would head the interim authority until March 1. “Today we convened a cabinet meeting that included members from the Salvation government operating in Idlib and its surroundings, as well as representatives from the ousted regime,” he stated. Bashir previously led the rebel-backed Salvation Government before the rapid offensive that captured Damascus.

Two flags were positioned behind him: the green, black, and white flag representing Assad’s opponents throughout the civil war, and a white flag emblazoned with the Islamic declaration of faith in black lettering, commonly displayed by Sunni Islamist fighters in Syria.

REBUILDING SYRIA

The task of rebuilding Syria will be monumental in the aftermath of a civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Many cities lie in ruins, vast areas of countryside have been abandoned, the economy has been severely impacted by international sanctions, and millions of refugees continue to reside in camps following one of the largest displacements in recent history.

As European nations have suspended asylum applications for Syrians, some refugees from Turkey and other locations have started to return home. Ala Jabeer wept as he prepared to cross the border from Turkey into Syria with his 10-year-old daughter on Tuesday, 13 years after being forced to flee his homeland due to the war. He is returning without his wife and three children, who perished in the devastating earthquakes that struck the region last year. “God willing, things will be better than they were under Assad’s regime. We have already witnessed the end of his oppression,” he stated. “The primary reason for my return is that my mother lives in Latakia. She can care for my daughter while I work,” Jabeer explained.

In Damascus, the capital of Syria, banks reopened for the first time since the overthrow of Assad on Tuesday. Shops resumed operations, traffic returned to the streets, street cleaners were actively working, and there was a noticeable decrease in the presence of armed individuals.

U.S. CAUTION

Jon Finer, the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser, informed Reuters that Washington is still determining its approach to engaging with rebel groups, emphasizing that there has not yet been a formal policy shift and that actions are what truly matter. He confirmed that U.S. troops stationed in northeastern Syria for counter-terrorism efforts would remain in place, and the senior U.S. general overseeing the Middle East visited them on Tuesday. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller refrained from commenting on whether Washington would alter the designation of HTS as a foreign terrorist organization, which currently restricts U.S. assistance to them. “Throughout the years, we have witnessed numerous militant groups that have taken power, claiming they would uphold minority rights, respect religious freedoms, and govern inclusively, only to ultimately fail to fulfill those commitments,” he stated.

Miller indicated that the United States had requested assistance from HTS in locating and rescuing American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012. He emphasized that this matter is a “priority” for Washington.

ISRAELI INCURSION

Israeli airstrikes have targeted Syrian army bases, which have retreated in response to the rebel offensive. The Israeli military reported that it has struck a significant portion of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles over the last 48 hours.

Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the objective is to establish a “sterile defense zone” in southern Syria, which would be maintained without a permanent military presence. Israel has deployed forces into a demilitarized zone within Syria and acknowledged on Tuesday that its troops have also occupied positions beyond a buffer zone created after the 1973 Middle East war, although it denied any movement towards Damascus.

This incursion by Israel has drawn condemnation from Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, adding to the security challenges faced by the new administration, despite Israel’s assertion that its actions are temporary.