The rebel chief who led the overthrow of the longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad has been declared the head of government for a transitional period.
Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of the rebel coalition that swept to power in Syria last month, has been declared the country’s interim president, a role that will see him navigate a time of untold change for a fractured nation.
Under Mr. al-Shara’s stewardship, Syria’s interim government will now face a delicate political transition after the overthrow of the dictatorship led by President Bashar al-Assad.
Among the many challenges he faces are uniting a complex patchwork of rebel groups, gaining control over multiple regions under the sway of powerful factions and rebuilding relations with the international community to undo crippling sanctions.
Here’s what you need to know:
How did Mr. al-Shara rise to power?
Formerly known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, Mr. al-Shara spearheaded an offensive last month that ousted Mr. al-Assad and ended the Assad family’s iron grip on the country, which had lasted more than five decades.
Mr. al-Shara was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an Islamist rebel group once linked to Al Qaeda. His faction controlled most of Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria, during a long stalemate in the country’s civil war, which dragged on for nearly 14 years.