Sun Mar 30 18:17:08 UTC 2025: ## Syria Unveils New Transitional Government Led by Islamist Allies
**Damascus, March 30, 2025** – Syria’s interim President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, announced a new transitional government on Saturday, replacing the caretaker administration in place since the December 8th overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. The new government is largely composed of allies of al-Sharaa, leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which played a key role in Assad’s removal.
The announcement, delayed from its initial March 1st target date, follows recent sectarian violence and international calls for an inclusive transition. While key figures like Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shaibani and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra retained their positions, Anas Khattab was appointed Interior Minister.
A notable inclusion is Hind Kabawat, a veteran opposition figure and member of Syria’s Christian minority, who becomes the first woman appointed to a ministerial position by al-Sharaa as the new Minister of Social Affairs and Labour. Raed al-Saleh, leader of the White Helmets, a Syrian rescue organization, was appointed Minister of Emergency Situations and Disasters.
The Islamist-led government has pledged to protect minority groups following clashes between Assad’s Alawite community and Sunni rebel factions. Al-Sharaa, appointed interim president in late January, recently enacted a five-year constitutional declaration outlining the transitional period. However, concerns remain among some experts and rights groups regarding the concentration of power and insufficient minority protections within the new framework. The new government faces the significant challenge of reunifying and rebuilding Syria after 14 years of civil war.
First Piper 