Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years [View all]

Source: Associated Press

Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group’s rule for 5 years

By GHAITH ALSAYED and KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Updated 10:00 AM EDT, March 13, 2025

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s interim president on Thursday signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule for five years during a transitional phase.

The nation’s interim rulers have struggled to exert their authority across much of Syria since the Islamist former insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, led a lightning insurgency that overthrew longtime President Bashar Assad in December.

Former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa is now the country’s interim president — a decision that was announced after a meeting of the armed groups that took part in the offensive against Assad. At the same meeting, the groups agreed to repeal the country’s old constitution and said a new one would be drafted.

While many were happy to see an end to the Assad family’s dictatorial rule of more than 50 years in the war-torn country, religious and ethnic minorities have been skeptical of the new Islamist leaders and reluctant to allow Damascus under its new authorities to assert control of their areas.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/syria-constitution-assad-alsharaa-4caa2074f20155c2399451d9669e435b