Murhaf Abu Kasra has been appointed head of the Syrian Defense Ministry in the transitional government.

The new head of the defense ministry is also known by his nom de guerre Abu al-Hassan al-Hamawi, Suria TV channel reports.

According to the Syrian Al Watan publication, Abu Kasra served as commander of the military wing of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which took control of the country's largest cities, including Damascus, earlier this month and succeeded in overthrowing President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier, the head of the new authorities in Damascus, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani, said that various Syrian armed groups would be united into a single structure under the control of the country's Defense Ministry.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who has headed the so-called Salvation Government formed by the opposition in Idlib province since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of the Syrian government for a transitional period that will last until March 1, 2025.