Syria's transitional leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed optimism that the vast majority of the 15 million displaced Syrians will return to their country within two years after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Speaking to Dubai-based YouTuber Joe HaTTab in a video aired on Sunday, Al-Sharaa stressed that since the fall of the Baath regime in December, Syrians who were forced to flee their homeland are already returning. "I am sure that 15 million Syrians will return to their country in two years. Only about 1 to 1,5 million will remain (abroad),” he said.
Al-Sharaa criticized the ousted regime for using state institutions to oppress and dominate the population, organizing institutions to oppress the people, and resorting to tactics such as torture and assassination. He described his government's commitment to justice as a fundamental principle for Syria's reconstruction and development.
"If the state is weak, the citizens of this country cannot be strong," he said, underscoring the need for short-term, medium-term and long-term plans for public institutions, legislative and executive bodies and other sectors during this process. .
He also noted that addressing today's challenges in society will take time, but can be achieved with consistent planning and public education. Al-Sharaa said the Syrian people overcame their despair through the revolution. "Now, Syrians are holding their heads high everywhere. We changed the course of history."
He stressed the harmony between all sections of society, noting that “there is a social consensus in Syria. Thanks to this, for the first time in Syria, people will be able to live together with love."
He stressed that the revolution has been completed with the collapse of the regime and that it is time to "transition from the revolutionary mentality to a state mentality."
Describing the new government's goal as "victory without revenge," he supported reconciliation efforts and an amnesty policy for those who changed allegiance after the fall of the regime.
However, Al-Sharaa made exceptions, stating that no amnesty would be granted to those involved in torture or massacres, such as those at Saydnaya prison in the capital Damascus.
Source: protothema.gr