RABAT, December 25. /TASS/. The transitional Syrian government’s health ministry has made the decision to rename 15 hospitals in various regions named after family members of former President Bashar Assad, the Syria television channel reported.

The hospitals that are to be renamed are located in the country’s major cities, including the capital Damascus, as well as Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, Latakia, Tartus, Hama, Homs and others. Some of them were named after Bashar Assad’s brother Bassel, who died in a car crash in 1994.

On November 27, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against government forces in Aleppo and Idlib governorates. By the evening of December 7, opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad had captured several major cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Deraa, and Homs. They entered Damascus on December 8, prompting Syrian army units to withdraw from the city.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who since January 2024 led the so-called Salvation Government in Idlib province, announced his appointment as interim prime minister. The transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.