Interim Prime Minister of Syria Calls for the Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons

Mohammad al-Bashir, a member of the 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham' appointed as the interim Prime Minister of Syria, has called for the return of Syrian refugees and displaced persons to the country, promising security guarantees. Less than a week after the sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, internal and external developments and reactions regarding Syria continue to unfold rapidly. Inside the country, figures from Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and officials appointed by this group are trying to present a rational and 'law-abiding' image of themselves and to reduce the political and social tensions in the country. Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, has asked his militants to leave the cities and particularly to refrain from aerial shooting or targeting individuals without reason. In an interview with the Italian newspaper 'Corriere della Sera' published on Wednesday, December 21, al-Bashir emphasized that 'Syria is now a country of freedom that has regained its pride and dignity,' claiming that in the new structure, 'the rights of all people, sects, and religions in this country are respected and guaranteed.' Recently, a large number of Syrians residing in Turkey, Iraq, and Lebanon have crossed the land borders into the country. On the other hand, Reuters reported, citing informed sources, that the United States, in its first contact with the Syrian rebels who have overthrown Bashar al-Assad's government, has asked them to accept the process of forming an inclusive transitional government. This report, dated Tuesday, December 20, cites two U.S. government officials and one congressional aide without naming them, stating that Washington's first contact with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham was mediated by U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Turkey. The U.S. officially designated Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist organization in 2018. The European Union, the UK, Turkey, and several other countries have also listed this group as a terrorist organization. In another development, Russia, Assad's largest ally, confirmed for the first time the presence of the ousted Syrian president in the country after a two-day silence. Sergey Ryabkov, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, stated in an interview with NBC that Bashar al-Assad was transferred to Moscow 'in the safest possible way' following the fall of his government to the rebels. Ryabkov emphasized that the transfer of Assad to Moscow demonstrated that 'Russia acts as necessary in extraordinary circumstances.' Russian Federation officials are also trying to show that the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria will not significantly impact Moscow's 'influence' in the Middle East. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, emphasized on Wednesday, December 21, that the war in Ukraine is a priority for Russia and that Moscow is in contact with the new Syrian leaders. Peskov's claim comes as images and reports of the Russian naval fleet's departure from the key base in Tartus were published a day earlier. This base, which has been under Soviet and Russian control for nearly half a century, has played a vital role in Russia's transnational and operational presence in the Middle East and Africa, and losing it could be considered a heavy blow for Russia. Meanwhile, the fate of the Hmeimim airbase in the port of Latakia remains unclear. What is certain is that major regional players, especially Turkey and Israel, are trying to shape conditions to their advantage by exploiting the central power vacuum in Syria. On one hand, the 'Syrian National Army' militants close to Ankara have taken control of the northern city of Manbij, which had been under the control of the Kurdish 'Syrian Democratic Forces' for years, based on a ceasefire mediated by the U.S. On the other hand, Israel, which immediately after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government crossed the so-called Alpha demarcation line and occupied Syrian army positions in the Golan Heights, has bombed over 400 positions related to the Syrian army, suspected ammunition depots holding 'chemical weapons,' and positions of Iranian-affiliated militants in the past three days, warning that the next government in Damascus cannot align with Tehran. Meanwhile, the leader of the Islamic Republic described the rapid fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria as a 'joint plan' of the U.S. and Israel, stating that a neighboring country of Syria also played a 'clear role' in this event. It seems that Ali Khamenei was referring to Turkey as this neighboring country. Khamenei called the fall of Assad a 'coup with a plan by the U.S. and Israel,' while in previous days, other Iranian officials, particularly those in the country's diplomatic apparatus, had been trying to avoid 'emotional stances' and emphasize 'the right of the Syrian people to decide their own government,' indicating their readiness to contact and communicate with the next leaders of the country. In another development, Pope Francis also called for respect among followers of different religions in Syria. The Catholic Church leader said on Wednesday that he prays for the people of Syria to live in 'peace and security' in their land and for followers of various religions in a country that has been at war for years to continue their lives with 'friendship and mutual respect.' Pope Francis expressed hope that a political solution aimed at ensuring stability and unity in the country could be achieved without further conflict and division. Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, nearly fourteen years ago, Syrian Christians have generally supported Bashar al-Assad's government. Assad, who is part of the Syrian Alawite minority, has presented himself as a defender of minority rights. The rapid advance of rebels in recent days has reignited a years-long war that began in 2011 with the suppression of anti-government protests by Assad's forces, which had relatively quieted in recent years.