DOHA, December 17. /TASS/. Syria’s transitional government has been gradually assuming duties from former authorities, with the majority of state employees returning to work, the country’s interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir told Al Jazeera.
"We notified all employees of agencies and offices to come back to work," he said in an interview with the TV channel. "The majority of staff have returned to their offices, and most of the Syrian government’s officials have resumed their duties," al-Bashir noted.
The so-called Syrian Salvation Government, previously formed by the opposition in the country’s northwest, is in charge of administering the territories controlled by the new Syrian authorities, including Damascus. The country’s new leadership has already received data and assets from some former government ministries.
"Our priority was achieving stability and security by preserving the people’s assets, as well as private and state property, for the country to function and to prevent chaos," he added. "Another track is maintaining essential services and their continued provision to the Syrian people across the entire territory, from bread and water to electricity and communication," al-Bashir explained. The head of Syria’s transitional government noted the tough situation in the republic, citing issues with access to electricity. According to him, residences in some regions have electric power only for two hours per day.
In late November, armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on positions held by Syrian government forces. On December 8, they entered Damascus. Bashar Assad stepped down as Syrian president and left the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib Province since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government. The interim period is expected to last until March 1, 2025.