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The Syrian rebels now in power in Damascus appointed Mohammad al-Bashir as head of a transitional government that will be in place until 1 March, according to state media reports.

On Sunday, the rebels led byÌýIslamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized the capital Damascus in a lightning offensive, toppling Bashar al-Assad who fled the country.

"The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until March 1," said a statement attributed to Bashir on state television's Telegram account, referring to him as "the new Syrian prime minister".

Before being tapped for the role, he had been head of the rebels' so-called Salvation Government in northwest Syria and previously held the role of its development minister.

The Salvation Government, with its own ministries, departments, judicial and security authorities, was set up in the Idlib bastion in 2017 to assist people in the rebel-held area people cut off from government services.

It has since begun rolling out assistance in Aleppo, the first major city to fall from government hands after the rebels began their offensive.

Several reports on Monday indicated that Bashir had met HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known asÌýAbu Muhammad al-Jolani and Mohammed al-Jalali, who had served as prime minister under the now-ousted Assad regime.

Bashir now faces the challenge of navigating Syria's transitional phase, addressing both political instability and the reconstruction of war-torn regions formerly under HTS control.

Who is Mohammed al-Bashir?

Bashir is a Syrian engineer and politician who began serving as the fifth prime minister of the self-declared HTS administration, the Syrian Salvation Government, in January.

He was born in Jabal Zawiya region of Idlib in 1986, according to a CV published by the Salvation Government.ÌýHe holds multiple qualifications spanning engineering, law, and administrative planning.

He earned a degree in electrical and electronic engineering, specialising in communications, from the University of Aleppo in 2007.

In 2010, he completed an advanced English language course administered by the ministry of education.

In 2021, he obtained a degree in Sharia and law with honours from the University of Idlib. That same year, he also received a certificate in administrative planning and a certification in project management from the Syrian International Academy for Training, Languages, and Consulting.

He then workedÌýas an engineer supervising the establishment of a gas plant affiliated with the Syrian Gas Company.

Developments under Bashir

In 2021, following the Syrian uprising against Assad, Bashir left his job at government institutions, joining "the ranks of the revolutionaries in the military field", according to his CV.

Between 2022 and 2023, he served as the minister of development and humanitarian affairs under his predecessor, Ali Keda.

In January 2024, the Shura Council of the Salvation Government elected him as prime minister. His election platform prioritised e-government and automation of government services.

During his administration, real estate fees were reduced, planning regulations were relaxed, and consultations began for expanding Idlib City's zoning plan.

In late November, when HTS and other Syrian rebel groups launched their Northwestern Syria offensive, capturing Aleppo, Bashir announced in a press conference that the offensive was a response to the Syrian regime's attacks on civilians, which he said had displaced "tens of thousands" of people.

On 4 December, he travelled to Aleppo to oversee the opening of government offices, commending employees from previous administrations who had returned to their duties.