Mohammed al-Bashir, an electrical engineering graduate, has been appointed as the interim prime minister of Syria, following a period of turmoil in the country’s northwest.
He previously governed a small area under rebel control in Idlib province and has now been tasked with leading the interim government after the Islamist rebel coalition, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, successfully overthrew President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Al-Bashir’s appointment was confirmed on Tuesday, with the expectation that he will hold the position until March 1, 2025. In a statement, he highlighted the major challenges ahead, including ensuring the security and stability of the country’s institutions and preventing the state from further fragmentation. Al-Bashir emphasized that his administration has significant experience from governing in Idlib, which will help in facing the current difficulties.
Syria remains deeply fractured after 13 years of civil war, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has vowed to maintain order and avoid a power vacuum similar to those that followed regime changes in other Arab countries. While the group has sought international recognition, it has also faced criticism for its authoritarian methods and its commitment to a hard-line Sunni Islamist ideology.
Born in 1983 in Idlib’s Jabal al-Zawiya region, Al-Bashir initially worked in a management role at Syria’s state-run Gas Company, a post he held when the civil war began in 2011. After the outbreak of the conflict, his political trajectory shifted, though the specifics of his evolution remain unclear. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Aleppo in 2007, followed by additional qualifications in English, project management, and Shariah law.
Al-Bashir’s rise to prominence within Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s governance structure culminated in his appointment as prime minister for the rebel-controlled region earlier this year, shortly before the coalition launched its campaign to overthrow Assad’s government.
