Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh, February 2, 2025

UPDATE: Al-Sharaa Named President of Syria

UPDATE 1057 GMT:

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has criticized Donald Trump’s proposal for ethnic cleansing of Gaza as “a serious crime that will ultimately fail”.

In the interview with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell (see below), the President said:

I believe no power can drive people from their land. Many countries have tried to do it and they have all failed, especially during the recent war in Gaza over the past year and a half.

Al-Sharaa said Trump had brought a “positive message” on his return to the White House with a focus on domestic policy and “revitalizing the US economy”. He also hailed Trump’s supported interest in “peacebuilding in the Middle East”.

Speaking about US sanctions that were imposed on the Assad regime, al-Sharaa spoke of a “strong international consensus that sanctions should be lifted” and of the emphasis on economic development: “Without economic growth, there can be no stability.”

UPDATE, FEB 11:

The full 37-minute interview of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa by UK podcasters Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, tracing his journey from fighter in Iraq — and member of Al Qa’eda — to head of the Islamist faction Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham to the leader of the overthrow of the Assad regime:

UPDATE 1309 GMT:

The head of the Syrian Investment Agency, Ayman Hamawiye, says international sanctions on the banking sector are preventing essential investments for recovery.

Hamawiye said the barriers remains despite intense interest from Syrian and foreign investors since the fall of the Assad regime on December 8.

“Sanctions have stopped everything. Right now, they are primarily on the Syrian people and are increasing their suffering,” he summarized.

The investment chief said he was fielding dozens of requests per day from mostly Syrian, Turkish and Gulf Arab businesses, but also some Europeans. They are interested in projects such as building hospitals, establishing wind power, and developing real estate.

But they all say that it is difficult (to invest) given the banking sector remains under sanctions. You can’t show up with millions of euros in your suitcase. That is not a way to do business in today’s world.

During the Syrian uprising, Hamawiye, 36, ran Syrian crisis response projects and worked on economic policy in opposition-held Idlib Province in northwest Syria.

UPDATE, FEB 7:

Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra says the new Government is open to letting Russia keep its air and naval bases on the Mediterranean coast, provided the agreement serves Syrian interests.

Abu Qasra told the Washington Post on Sunday that Russia’s attitude toward the new Syrian government has “improved significantly” since the fall on December 8 of its client, the Assad regime.

“In politics, there are no permanent enemies,” the Defense Minister said.

Asked if Russia would be allowed to maintain its naval port at Tartus and the Hmeimim air base in Latakia Province in western Syria, Abu Qasra said: “If we get benefits for Syria out of this, yes.”

Last month Syria terminated a contract with a Russian company to operate the commercial side of the Tartus port.

Abu Qasra said the government in is also negotiating the status of American and Turkish military bases in Syria.

“Everyone was waiting for Trump to come to power, and the issue needs some time between the US administration and the new Syrian government,” he explained.

UPDATE, FEB 5:

As expected, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed closer security ties during a meeting in Ankara on Tuesday.

Erdoğan also tried to position al-Sharaa against Syrian Kurdish groups who have autonomy in the northeast of the country, labelling them as part of the Turkish Kurdish insurgency PKK:

I would like to express our satisfaction for the strong commitment my brother Ahmed al-Sharaa has shown in the fight against terrorism.

I told al-Sharaa we are ready to provide the necessary support to Syria in the fight against all kinds of terrorism, whether it be Daesh [the Islamic State] or the PKK.

Al-Sharaa said Syria sought a “strategic partnership” with Turkey, invited Erdoğan to visit Syria “at the earliest opportunity”.

He declared, “We are working on building a strategic partnership with Turkiye to confront the security threats in the region to guarantee permanent security and stability to Syria and Turkey.”

Implictly referrring to the Syrian Kurdish groups, the Syrian leader cited discussion of “threats that prevent territorial unity in northeastern Syria”.

Following the meeting, Erdogan said he would press for the lifting of international sanctions imposed on the Assad regime which fell from power on December 8. He said it was important for Arab and Muslim countries to support the new Syrian government in the transitional period.

UPDATE 1530 GMT:

The new Syrian Government has detained the Assad regime’s former Interior Minister, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Shaar.

Shaar, 74, was wanted for crimes against humanity. He oversaw the regime’s ntelligence branches and their prisons, responsible for thousands of tortures and executions.

Shaar survived the July 2012 bombing in Damascus which killed Defense Minister General Dawoud Rajiha; Deputy Defense Minister Assef Shawkat, brother-in-law of Bashar al-Assad; and several other high-ranking regime officials.

UPDATE 1000 GMT:

In an interview with The Economist on January 31, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa reiterated his commitment to transitional government.

Al-Sharaa said he was sticking to the announcement of the government by the first week of March. Elections in 3 to 4 years will include a vote for the Presidency.

He expressed willing for discussions with Kurdish leaders about their position in the new Syria, but was not optimistic that an agreement would be reached soon. He emphasized that “a federal system in Syria”, including Kurdish autonomy, “does not have popular acceptance”. The US-supported, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces should “integrate into the Syrian state”.

Referring to his trip to Saudi Arabia, al-Sharaa said he did not want Syria to be country dependent on handouts from the Gulf. Instead, he wanted the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia and Qatar to invest in major infrastructure projects in Syria.

He also spoke of relations with the US, hoping diplomatic relations with the United States would be restored “in the coming days”.

“I believe that President Trump seeks peace in the area,” al-Sharaa asserted.

UPDATE, FEB 4:

Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, visiting Ankara on Tuesday, will reportedly discuss a joint defense pact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

“Four sources familiar with the matter” — a Syrian security official; two Damascus-based foreign security sources; and a senior regional intelligence official — said the pact will include two Turkish airbases in the Badiyah desert in central Syria; Ankara’s training for the new Syrian army; and “new areas of deployment and cooperation”.

The regional intelligence official said the possible airbase locations are the Palmyra military airport and the T4 base, both in Homs Province. He said they will be a message to US-supported Kurdish forces in northeast Syria.

Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish leadership to be part of the Turkish Kurdish insurgency PKK. Turkish-backed Syrian fighters are clashing with Kurdish units in northern Syria.

The sources said the pact is not expected to be completed on Tuesday.

UPDATE, FEB 3:

At least 17 women and a man have been killed by a car bomb in the city of Manbij in Aleppo Province in northern Syria.

The women were among 30 passengers in a van, heading to agricultural work.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, around 30 km (19 miles) from the Turkish border.

Bodies of women killed by a car bomb in Manbij, Syria, February 2, 2025

On Saturday, a car bomb in Manbij killed four civilians and wounded nine others, including children.

Turkish-backed Syrian fighters and the US-supported, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have been clashing for control of the area.

ORIGINAL ENTRY, FEB 2: Ahmed al-Sharaa, on his first foreign trip as Syria’s President, visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani traveled on a Saudi jet to Riyadh. Syria’s new three-star, tricolor flag flew next to Saudi Arabia’s at the airport.

Al-Sharaa then met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, at al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

The State-run Saudi Press Agency said discussions examined how to “support the security and stability of sisterly Syria”. Syria’s State agency SANA news agency quoted al-Sharaa that the two men “worked on raising the level of communication and cooperation in all areas, especially those humanitarian and economic”.

Saudi Arabia, which supported anti-Assad groups since the Syrian uprising of March 2011, has re-established ties with the new leadership which took power on December 8.

On January 24, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Damascus and cited “the importance of accelerating the lifting and freezing of all sanctions” that had been imposed on the Assad regime.

He added that Riyadh is engaged in “active dialogue with all relevant countries, whether the United States or the European Union, and we are hearing positive messages”.

Ali Shihabi, a commentator close to the Saudi court, assessed:

The kingdom is giving Syria the benefit of the doubt, so it’s taking a much less suspicious approach than other Arab countries, such as Egypt and the UAE.

It has dealt with reformed jihadis before and it sees the value of [Assad’s fall] having kicked the Iranians and Hezbollah out. As long as they walk the talk, they will get support from Saudi Arabia.