He had spent the day with the leaders of Syria’s myriad armed factions, trying to persuade them to disband. Over seven weeks after the fall of Damascus, the fate of these groups is still uncertain. His aides claim that all militias will be dissolved and then absorbed into a new national army.

As president, al-Sharaa has also been authorised to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase which will carry out its task until a new constitution is adopt

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has been named president for the "transitional period", state media report, seven weeks after he led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad. Rebel military commander Hassan Abdul Ghani also announced the cancellation of Syria's 2012 constitution and the dissolution of the former regime's parliament,

Arab leaders have warmly welcomed Ahmed al-Sharaa as Syria's interim president, with close allies of his deposed predecessor remaining noncommittal.

Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, was declared Syria's head of state for a transitional phase and empowered to form a new legislative council, state media

Al-Sharaa was also authorised to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase, state media reports.

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to Ahmed Al Sharaa on the occasion of assuming the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic for the transitional period.