Ahmed al-Sharaa declares himself president of Syria
But he has given no details of what kind of state he wants to build
On January 29th cafés across Damascus were packed. Syrians, both recently returned exiles from Europe and Turkey and those who had remained in Syria under Bashar al-Assad, its long-time dictator, gathered to listen to a speech by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country’s de facto ruler since the ousting of Mr Assad. Some wore headscarves. Others sipped beer. All were eager to hear Mr Sharaa’s vision for their country.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The next steps”
Middle East & Africa February 1st 2025
From the February 1st 2025 edition
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