DAMASCUS, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Syria's interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir on Tuesday called on Syrians displaced abroad to return home and invest in rebuilding Syria.
The caretaker government has taken over state institutions through a smooth transition from ministries previously run by Bashar al-Assad's government, al-Bashir told Al Jazeera in an interview.
"Our priority is to maintain services, establish security and stability, and avoid chaos," he said. "We have succeeded in doing so."
The caretaker government faces significant hurdles, including corruption, crumbling infrastructure, and lingering debts, he said, urging the international community to lift sanctions on Syria and release frozen funds.
He also outlined plans to safeguard citizens' property and provide basic services, promising that the new leadership would prioritize modernizing Syria's governance and economy to meet the aspirations of its people.
Al-Bashir, a former regional leader in northwestern Syria, was appointed on Dec. 10 to head a transitional government until March 2025. His appointment followed a military operation launched on Nov. 27 by a militant alliance led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which captured Damascus within 12 days. Al-Assad has fled the country following his government's downfall. ■
