Proud that I was born in Riyadh: Syria's de facto ruler Al-Sharaa

Ahmed Hussein Al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad Al-Julani, boasted of his Saudi roots at the same time hailing the contribution of Saudi Arabia for Syria and its people

Monday December 30, 2024 3:00 PM, ummid.com News Network

Riyadh: Ahmed Hussein Al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad Al-Julani, boasted of his Saudi roots at the same time hailing the contribution of Saudi Arabia for Syria and its people.

Talking to Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, Al Sharaa expressed personal pride in his roots, sharing that he was born in Riyadh and lived there until the age of seven, adding that he longs to visit the city again.

“I am proud of everything that Saudi Arabia has done for Syria, and it has a major role in the country’s future,” Al-Sharaa said in an interview with Al Arabiya channel.

Al Sharaa praised Saudi Arabia days after a Saudi delegation, led by an advisor to the Royal Court, visited Syria and met with him in the capital Damascus.

On its part, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Syrian people during this pivotal time. The Kingdom emphasized the importance of unity and cohesion among the Syrian people to safeguard the country from chaos and division.

Saudi Arabia also called for collective efforts to preserve Syria’s stability and protect its territorial integrity

On Constitution, Elections

In reply to a question he said it will take at least four years before Syria will hold general elections.

"Holding elections in Syria could take up to four years as it requires a comprehensive population census", he said adding that drafting a new constitution could take three years.

During the interview, Al-Sharaa also underscored that the liberation of Syria is vital for ensuring the security of the region, the Gulf, and Syria for the next 50 years.

Al-Sharaa is at the helm of affairs till March 1, 2024 when Syria’s different factions will hold a political dialogue to determine the country’s political future and establish a transitional government that brings the divided country together.

Al Sharaa said Haya't Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) will be dissolved after the March dialogue after years of being Syria’s most dominant militant group that held a strategic enclave in the country’s northwest.

On sanctions against Syria

Al Sharaa also expressed hope that the administration of U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump would lift sanctions on his country as Assad regime has been overthrown.

“The sanctions on Syria were issued based on the crimes that the regime committed,” Al-Sharaa said.

Since HTS and allied militants had ousted Assad, “these sanctions should be removed automatically,” he said.

On Syria, Russia Ties

Speaking about Syrian-Russian relations, Al-Sharaa said the two countries shared “deep strategic interests.”

He expressed his desire to rebuild ties with once the closest ally of Assad and said, “Russia is an important country and is considered the second most powerful country in the world.”

“All Syria’s arms are of Russian origin, and many power plants are managed by Russian experts... We do not want Russia to leave Syria in the way that some wish", he said.

The HTS leader also said negotiations are ongoing with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, and hopes that their armed forces will integrate with the Syrian security agencies.

The Kurdish-led group is Washington’s key ally in Syria, where it is heavily involved in targeting Daesh sleeper cells.

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