MILAN, Italy - Ahmed al-Sharaa, former military commander and Syria’s de facto leader since December, was officially declared as the Interim President of Syria on Wednesday.

“We announce that leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has assumed the presidency of the country in the transitional phase, and he will carry out the duties of the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic, and represent it in international forums,” said Hassan Abdel Ghani, spokesperson for the Military Operations Administration, during a conference declaring the victory of the Syrian revolution, 50 days after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

The spokesperson also announced that Sharaa has been authorized to form an interim legislative council during the transitional period, "which will assume its duties until a permanent constitution for the country is approved and enters into force."

Prior to the announcement of his appointment, Sharaa identified the main priorities for the new Syrian administration at this moment as filling the power vacuum, preserving civil peace, building state institutions, working to build a developmental economic infrastructure, and restoring Syria's international and regional standing.

"Syria's needs today are greater than ever. Just as we were determined to liberate it, we must now be committed to rebuilding and advancing it," said Sharaa.

Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, was the commander-in-chief of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebel group which spearheaded the anti-government forces’ lightening offensive which led to the collapse of Assad’s regime in under two weeks.

Sharaa joined al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003 just weeks before the American invasion and quickly rose through the group’s ranks. He was arrested by US forces in Iraq in 2006 and imprisoned for over five years.

His release in 2011 coincided with the start of the Syrian civil war, and he would go on to form Jabhat al-Nusra, a Jihadist front affiliated to al-Qaeda fighting against the Assad government during the Syrian civil war. The HTS was formed in 2017 as a result of a merger of several opposition factions.

Abolishing the constitution, dissolving all armed factions

Abdel Ghani also announced during the conference the abolishment of the 2012 constitution and the suspension of all “exceptional laws,” in addition to the dissolution of the Assad regime era’s parliament and its committees.

The dissolution of the regime’s army and all security agencies was also announced, stressing that a new Syrian army will be rebuilt “on national foundations,” and that new security institutions will be formed to preserve the security of the Syrian people.

“The dissolution of all military factions, political and civil revolutionary bodies, and their integration into state institutions,” the spokesperson added, which would also include the HTS.

The dissolution of the armed factions would also apply to the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in north and east Syria.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya earlier this month, SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi said they have sought to form a joint military committee to explore integrating its forces into a unified national army under the Ministry of Defense.

Syrian Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra told reporters last week that the door for negotiations with the SDF is “currently open,” but stressed “if we have to use force, we will be ready.”

The SDF currently control the bulk of northeastern and eastern regions of Syria, amounting to a quarter territory of the country. Formed in 2015, the SDF is considered the Kurdish de facto army in Syria.