Syria's new leadership suspends constitution

Damascus: Syria's new leadership has suspended the country's constitution and appointed Ahmed al-Shara, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the head of the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham that overthrew the Bashar al-Assad government, as the country's interim president.

According to the Syrian state news agency (SANA), the country's constitution has been suspended and Ahmed al-Shara has been named interim president.

The spokesman for the Syrian Military Operations Command, Hassan Abdel Ghani, announced that the 2012 constitution has been revoked, as have laws adopted under emergency procedures in Syria.

Al-Shara was also authorized to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase, which will carry out its work until the approval of a new constitution.

The spokesman for the Syrian Military Operations Command, Hassan Abdel Ghani, also announced the dissolution of armed factions in the country, which he said would be integrated into state institutions.

In addition, the Baath Party, which ruled Syria for decades, has been formally dissolved.

It is pertinent to note that last month, opposition forces in Syria captured major cities in the country, forcing former President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country, ending the rule of the Assad family, which had ruled Syria for more than five decades.

Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia with his family, where he sought political asylum.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the head of the forces that overthrew the Bashar al-Assad government and the country's interim leader, said that it could take four years to hold elections in Syria.