Syrian Rebels Start Power Transition as Search Begins for Assad’s Torturers

Hopes of finding thousands of political prisoners in underground cells at the notorious Saydnaya prison have faded.

People gather at the Saydnaya prison looking for loved ones in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 9, 2024. OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images

The Syrian prime minister, who was appointed by the ousted president Bashar al-Assad, has officially handed over power to a so-called salvation government, led by rebel factions based in north-west Syria.

Mohammed Jalali, who was appointed by Assad in September, met with Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), on Monday to discuss the transition.