Syria's new rulers name their foreign minister

DAMASCUS - The Islamist-led fighters who overthrew president Bashar al-Assad nearly two weeks ago on Saturday named Assaad al-Shibani as foreign minister in the transitional government.

"The general command announces the nomination of Mr Assaad Hassan al-Shibani to the post of foreign minister in the new Syrian government," a statement said.

"He joined the Syrian revolution in 2011... and took part in founding the Salvation Government", said the text posted on Telegram.

The Salvation Government, which has ministries, departments, judicial and security authorities, was set up in 2017 to assist people cut off from state services.

Most of the new ministers in Syria come from the so-called "Salvation Government".

Shibani was born in 1987 in Hasakeh province in the northeast, and graduated from Damascus University in English literature before taking a master's degree in political science and international relations.

Also going under the name Zaid al-Attar, he met the delegations from France and Germany that visited Damascus this week to open contacts with the new authorities.

On Friday, after a meeting between Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and a US delegation, the new authorities said they wanted to contribute to "regional peace" and "building privileged strategic partnerships with countries in the region".

Friday's statement also said "the Syrian people stand at an equal distance from all countries and parties in the region and that Syria rejects any polarisation".