 "Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has opened the conversation on elections in his country. Reuters")
Holding elections in Syria could take up to four years, the country’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said Sunday (December 29) in his first comments on a possible timeline for polls since Bashar al-Assad was ousted earlier this month.
Speaking in an interview with Al Arabiya, Sharaa said drafting a new constitution would likely require three years, while it could take an additional year for Syrians to witness significant changes.
Sharaa leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which toppled Assad on December 8, ending decades of rule by the Assad family and a 13-year civil war.
He announced plans to dissolve HTS as part of a forthcoming national dialogue conference.
Strategic relations with Russia, Iran
Sharaa reiterated that Syria shares “deep strategic interests” with Russia, which has maintained military bases in the country and supported Assad during the civil war. Moscow also granted asylum to Assad following his removal from power.
Sharaa said earlier this month that Syria’s relations with Russia should serve common interests.
In the same interview, he also said that “Syria cannot continue without relations with an important regional country like Iran, but they must be based on respect for the sovereignty of both countries and non-interference in the affairs of both countries.”
Alongside Moscow, Tehran was a major ally of Assad.
Hopes for sanctions relief from the US
The HTS leader expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump’s administration would lift sanctions imposed on Syria. His remarks followed a visit by senior US diplomats to Damascus, who described Sharaa as pragmatic and confirmed that Washington has removed a $10 million bounty on his head.
The United States has yet to comment on its future Syria policy under Trump, but Sharaa’s statements hint towards an interest in engaging with the new administration.
The developments come as Syria faces the monumental task of rebuilding after years of conflict, with the international community closely watching how the transition unfolds.
With inputs from agencies