Rebel fighters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are present on the Umayyad Square in Damascus as people gathered to celebrate the end of the 54 year Assad family rule. December 10 2024.
Image: Nael Chahine / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP
Russia and Turkey should ensure the establishment of a democratic transitional governing body in Syria and the holding of fair elections, as there is currently significant misalignment between the groups controlling Syria, a member of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, Tarek Ahmad, told Sputnik.
Syria's armed opposition groups captured Damascus on Sunday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Syrian President Bashar Assad had stepped down and left Syria after negotiations with some participants in the conflict.
On Sunday, a source in the Kremlin told Sputnik that Assad and members of his family had arrived in Moscow, and Russia had granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds.
"Where is the regime now? Who will be the regime's partner in this government? Is HTS [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] going to form the government on its own? HTS holds significant power on the ground. Russia and Turkey are key players in shaping Syria's future, they need to step up and guarantee a democratic process, a transitional government and fair elections," Ahmad said.
He expressed scepticism about the prospects for a transitional government in Syria any time soon, citing the ongoing parallel processes and negotiations in Astana and other platforms involving international mediators.
"As of now, I don't see clear prospects for a transitional government due to significant misalignment among the groups controlling Syria. Agreements reached by Turkey, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE regarding the transitional government and UN Resolution 2254 have not translated into reality on the ground," he said.
Ahmad highlighted the existence of opposition forces, such as his own party, that are neither aligned with HTS nor with toppled Assad, leaving their future uncertain.
"Currently, HTS and the opposition platforms represent one side. But who is the opposing side? There isn't one. It's unclear how they will proceed. We, as internal forces, do not belong to the regime; our party is focused on reform. We feel caught between the regime and the opposition, with an uncertain future ahead," he stated.
Ahmad expressed concern that even if Assad's political rule came to an end, deep divisions within Syria would persist. He voiced a strong desire for a free, united and sovereign Syria and urged international and regional powers to support a common future for all Syrians rather than pursue their own interests during the political transition.
"When we talk about Syria's unity and sovereignty, it's crucial. We do not want the regime to remain in power, but we insist on a democratic transition rather than a dictatorial one. Our goal is a united Syria," he concluded.
The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group and a number of other armed groups launched a large-scale operation against the Syrian government on November 29, advancing from the north of the northwestern region of Idlib towards the cities of Aleppo and Hama.
A day later, Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, came under complete control of the militants for the first time since the beginning of the conflict in the country in 2011.
The Syrian army command announced on December 1 that the advance of the terrorists in the region of Hama had been stopped and government troops had launched a counteroffensive, taking control of a number of settlements previously seized by the militants. However, on December 5, the command announced the redeployment of its units outside Hama.
Sputnik