Syria’s de facto new ruler names Asaad al-Shibani as foreign minister

Syria’s de-facto ruler has appointed Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as the country’s new foreign minister, two weeks after President Basher al-Assad’s government collapsed and militants captured Damascus. 

Syria’s official news agency SANA reported on Saturday that Shibani was chosen as the foreign minister as the new ruling entity in the Arab country is seeking to build international relations.

No details were immediately available about Shibani.

Armed groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate, announced on December 8 that they had fully captured the Syrian capital and confirmed the fall of the Assad government.

Various foreign-backed militant groups operating across Syria are now in talks to take formal control of the country.

The United States and Britain are also mulling the removal of the HTS from their terror list after the former offshoot of al-Qaeda overthrew the Syrian government.

However, the Syrian people are concerned that a fragmented coalition of armed groups could ignite intense political jockeying and cause chaos by targeting religious minorities, political opponents and personnel from the former government.