A Syrian rebel leader has estimated that holding new elections in the country could take up to four years, according to an interview with Saudi state broadcaster Al Arabiya on Sunday. Ahmed al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said drafting a new constitution could take around three years and significant change and improvements to public services may not be seen for another year.
Al-Sharaa stated that Syria needs to rebuild its legal system and conduct a comprehensive population census before holding legitimate elections. This comes as HTS, which was once a jihadist group, has distanced itself from its violent past in recent years.
The group’s future governance is a subject of concern, with many questioning how it will balance the country’s diverse ethnic and religious groups. Al-Sharaa assured that his transitional government would protect the rights and freedoms of minorities.
In related news, nearly 300 people have been arrested in the past week as part of a crackdown on Assad loyalists. The arrests include informants, pro-regime fighters, and former soldiers, with local populations reportedly cooperating with the authorities.
The arrests have been met with criticism from some quarters, but Al-Sharaa defended the appointments made by his government, stating that they were essential and not intended to exclude anyone. The upcoming national dialogue conference will be a test of whether Syria’s new leadership can unite the country after 13 years of civil war.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g29e1lejvo