Who is Mohamed al Bashir, the man in charge of leading the transition in Syria?

The head of the Idlib Salvation Government was chosen by rebel leader Al Jolani and former Syrian Prime Minister Al Jalali to lead this new era in the country, which has lived for more than five decades under the Al Assad family.

Born in Jabal Zawiya (northwestern Syria) in 1983, Mohamed al Bashir has been assigned by the rebels to lead the transition in Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's 24-year regime by an insurgent offensive.

Ahmed Al Sharaa (formerly known as Abu Mohamed al-Jolani), the Islamist leader who led the offensive that overthrew Al-Assad, and former Syrian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghazi al-Jalali were who They decided that Al Bashir was going to lead this new era in Syria., who has lived for more than five decades under the Al Assad family.

But who is it? Al-Bashir And what is the Salvation Government of which he was also the head?

Engineer by profession

The Islamist politician graduated in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Aleppo in 2007 and later in Sharia (Islamic law) from the University of Idlib, the northeastern province that has served as the main opposition stronghold of the Assad government in recent years and where he is from.

In 2011,  He worked at the Syrian Gas Company as head of the precision instruments department., according to his resume.

He also has various diplomas, among which his highlights are: advanced english courses, as well as certificates in project management and administrative planning.

But he made the leap into politics after the popular revolts of 2011 against Al Assad, within the framework of the so-called “Arab Spring” which subsequently spread throughout Syria and were harshly repressed by the Al Assad government and its allies, including Iran y Russia.

Al Bashir was appointed last January as head of the Salvation Government, a sort of political branch that is linked to the Levant Liberation Organization (Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS, in Arabic), and whose headquarters are in Idlib.

Salvation Government and its role

Before becoming the head of the Salvation Government, he was aor Minister of Development and Humanitarian Affairs under the then head of that administration in Idlib, Ali Keda.

During that period of time, he focused on modernize this region so devastated by war and to meet the humanitarian needs of the approximately three million people in that province, half of whom are displaced and have suffered terrible attacks by the Syrian government and bombing by the Russian air force.

But What exactly is the Salvation Government?

Established in 2017, this administration, which includes ministries, departments, and judicial and security authorities, was created to to help people who were in areas that escaped the control of Damascus and they could not return to obtain government services.

However, Al Bashir had to face several problems during his tenure as head of the Salvation Government.

Last February, groups of Protesters took to the streets of some cities in Idlib calling for the fall of Al Jolani, activists reported at the time, in protests that continued for several months.

Their demands ranged from the an end to human rights violations in prisons, as well as economic reforms in the region due to their poor living conditions and the opposition to HTS's monopoly on decision-making, which is so sjust one of dozens of groups that make up the opposition to Assad in Syria.

HTS security units attacked protesters with batons and tear gas and continued sporadically for months, while Al Bashir issued a decree of general amnesty for perpetrators of crimes who had shown good conduct in order to please the population.

According to the September 2024 report of the UN-created Commission of Inquiry on Syria, the protests followed arrest campaigns against members of HTS, rival groups, political parties and civilians, including women and children up to 7 years old, while detainees were subjected to torture.

Source: INFOBAE