Syria's new rulers name key figure in insurgency as defence minister

Syria's new rulers have appointed Mr Murhaf Abu Qasra, a leading figure in the insurgency which toppled former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, as defence minister in the interim government, an official source said on Dec 21.

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Mr Abu Qasra, who is also known by the nom de guerre Abu Hassan 600, is a senior figure in the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group which led the campaign that ousted Mr Assad earlier in December. He led numerous military operations during Syria's revolution, the source said.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa discussed "the form of the military institution in the new Syria" during a meeting with armed factions on Dec 21, state news agency Sana reported.

During the meeting, Mr Abu Qasra sat next to Mr Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, photos published by Sana showed.