Live: Over 100,000 bodies found in mass grave near Damascus

Bloomberg has reported, citing Kremlin insiders, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is scrutinising the shortcomings of Russian intelligence in identifying threats to the rule of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Sources revealed that Russian intelligence agents facilitated Assad's escape, transporting him through a Russian military base in Syria. To ensure the operation remained undetected, the transceiver on Assad's transport plane was deactivated to prevent tracking.

The report also noted that Moscow persuaded Assad to seek refuge in Russia after determining that his chances of prevailing in the conflict against opposition forces were slim.

Mohammed al-Bashir, the head of the administration that ran Idlib in northwest Syria, has been appointed as the country's interim prime minister following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. 

The decision came after Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani met with outgoing Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Jalali and Vice President Faisal Mekdad to discuss a transitional government on Monday.

"The general command has tasked us with running the transitional government until 1 March," Bashir said on Tuesday, according to state media. 

HTS led the shock 12-day rebel offensive which toppled the Assad dynasty that ruled Syria for the last six decades.

Bashir has been the head of the Syrian Salvation Government, a HTS-controlled administration in the Idlib governorate, since January 2024. 

Read more: Mohammed al-Bashir: Who is Syria's new interim prime minister?

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that preparations are underway to reopen its embassy in Syria.

The ministry stated that the reopening will take place soon, following the completion of all necessary arrangements.

Syrian caretaker Prime Minister Mohammad al-Bashir assured the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that his government is committed to securing the rights of all sects in Syria.

Al-Bashir emphasized the government’s goal of re-establishing security across Syrian cities and facilitating the return of millions of refugees. He also stated that individuals involved in war crimes under the Bashar al-Assad government will be prosecuted in accordance with Syrian laws.

Acknowledging the challenging financial conditions, al-Bashir revealed that the administration is grappling with significant corruption from the Assad era and the country’s dire financial situation. He noted that the government currently relies solely on the Syrian pound, which has little value, and lacks foreign currency reserves.

Despite these hurdles, the prime minister expressed optimism, stating that the situation could improve over time. His government is set to remain in power until March 2025.

The rapid fall of Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad has taken Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia by surprise, with the Maghreb countries closely scrutinising developments as the country's future remains in flux. 

Assad had until a few days ago counted on the support of some North African countries against what they called "terrorist attacks" by the mosaic of rebel groups that have taken control of Syria's main cities.

This was the case in Algeria, where the government last Tuesday released a statement asserting its support for the Assad government in the face of "terrorist aggression".

The statement revealed that Algeria's foreign minister, Ahmed Attaf, had spoken to his Syrian counterpart Bassam Sabbagh on the phone, reassuring him of Algerian support.

On Tuesday, Sabbagh was expressing his "shock" at the sudden demise of the government he served, saying that Assad had asked his Russian and Iranian allies to save him.

Read more: Fall of Assad: Algeria and Tunisia shift positions as Maghreb reacts to Syria upheaval

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that its partners have uncovered 52 minefields in Syria since early December.

According to the agency, these hazardous areas are severely restricting civilian movement and disrupting the delivery of essential goods and services. The issue is particularly pressing given the ongoing displacement crisis across the country.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported an alarming rise in psychological trauma cases amongst civilians across Syria, with children particularly affected. Hospitals are said to be "overwhelmed" as the country’s health system struggles to cope.

“Health partners reported significant psychological distress amongst civilians, with signs of trauma particularly pronounced in children,” OCHA stated, highlighting the acute need for mental health support in northeast Syria, a region heavily impacted by recent hostilities.

In Deir Az Zor, only one of the city's eight primary healthcare centres remains operational, as the others have been rendered non-functional due to severe shortages of staff, electricity, and fuel.

Meanwhile, in Manbij, nine health facilities, including a hospital and several primary health centres, were vandalised and looted, exacerbating the crisis.

OCHA also noted that in northwest Syria, 140 health facilities, including hospitals, blood banks, and dialysis centres, face critical funding shortages. The organisation has called for urgent financial support to prevent the complete collapse of Syria's healthcare system.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the crisis in Syria was orchestrated in an "American and Israeli operations room," reported Tasnim News Agency, an Iranian media outlet.

"There is no doubt that what happened in Syria was planned in an American and Israeli operations room," Khamenei said, adding that a neighbouring country also played a significant and ongoing role in the events.

The Austrian government has announced the start of preparations for a deportation program targeting Syrian refugees, following its decision to suspend asylum applications for Syrians. The move comes amid claims that millions of refugees may now be able to return home following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government.

Austria’s Interior Ministry confirmed it has begun reassessing the cases of approximately 40,000 Syrians who were granted protected status in the country over the past five years.

Gerhard Karner, Austria’s interior minister, outlined the objectives of the program. “I have instructed the Ministry of the Interior to prepare a repatriation and deportation program to ensure that this happens in an orderly manner and that priorities must now be set. This is exactly what is needed at this point in time,” Karner said.

Gulf states who spent years trying to crush Islamic political movements viewed as a threat to their rule are now reconciling, potentially working with a government in Syria headed by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that is backed by rival Turkey and courting the US. 

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt have been caught off guard by what one Egyptian diplomat characterised to Middle East Eye as the “quick rebranding” of HTS, a former al-Qaeda affiliate. 

The UAE has also been unnerved by the US’s maneuvering to open backchannels of communication to HTS via Turkey, according to a senior western official. 

MEE spoke with a senior western official, one Egyptian diplomat, and a Gulf official working on Syria to discuss sensitive diplomatic discussions as Syria's transitional government takes shape. 

Before HTS spearheaded a rapid offensive to take Damascus, the UAE was brokering talks between the government of Bashar al-Assad and the US. The UAE wanted to strike a grand bargain to keep the Assad family in power and facilitate relief from US sanctions in return for Assad closing Iranian arms supply lines. 

Read more: Gulf monarchies scramble in Syria as ghosts of the Arab Spring return

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarms about severe food shortages and skyrocketing prices in major Syrian cities, including Damascus, Deir Az Zor, and Hama. 

Key findings from the report include:

• Dramatic price increases: The price of bread in Idlib and Aleppo surged by 900 percent between November 27 and December 9. Other staples, such as chicken, have seen a 119 percent rise, making it increasingly difficult for Syrians to afford basic food items.
• Impact of hostilities: Ongoing conflict has severely disrupted humanitarian operations, particularly in Quneitra, Menbij, and Deir Az Zor. Aid distribution has been hindered, and farmers are struggling to access land during the crucial wheat planting season.
• Economic instability: Fluctuations in the exchange rate have caused widespread economic turmoil, forcing many shops to close and leading to hoarding of essential goods by merchants.
• Urgent food aid needs: In Tabqa, northeast Syria, at least 6,000 families are in dire need of food assistance. Newly displaced residents arriving in the area face additional challenges, including a lack of access to cooking facilities.

The UN has emphasised the critical need for immediate humanitarian assistance to prevent further deterioration of living conditions for millions of Syrians.

Good morning Middle East Eye readers welcome to our live coverage of the ongoing developments in Syria following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad.

These are some of the key developments in Syria unfolding following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, with banks and shops resuming operations in Damascus:

• Three days after the collapse of the Assad government, banks and shops in the Syrian capital have reopened. The newly appointed police chief has vowed to restore "full security and order" to the city

• A commander from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a ceasefire with the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army after several days of clashes near the northern city of Manbij

• Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led opposition forces are pressing forward with their offensive in eastern Deir Az Zor province. They recently seized the city of Deir Az Zor from Assad’s forces and Iran-backed militias. Kurdish forces maintain control over parts of the governorate

• Amnesty International criticised European nations for suspending the processing of asylum applications from Syrian refugees. Human Rights Watch warned against the forced return of those fleeing the conflict

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged in discussions with officials in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE to promote the creation of an inclusive Syrian government. Meanwhile, NBC News reported that the Biden administration is considering removing HTS from its list of designated "terror" organisations

Our liveblog will shortly be closing until tomorrow morning.

Here are the day's key developments:

-Islamic State (IS) group fighters on Tuesday killed at least 54 people in Syria's Homs region, all of whom are said to have been former members of the Bashar al-Assad government and tried to flee upon its collapse on Saturday.

-Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said on Tuesday that the rebel forces have completely taken control over the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, including the al-Taym oil field. 

-The US-backed Kurdish Syrian forces (SDF) and Syria's Turkey-backed rebels reached a ceasefire agreement in the northern city of Manbij through a US mediation "to ensure the safety and security of civilians," SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said early on Wednesday.

-The US has said it's ready to recognize the new Syrian leadership if minorities are protected, and terrorism is prevented. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement on Tuesday lending the Biden administration's "full support for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition".

-Blinken also spoke about the situation in Syria on Tuesday with counterparts from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters. 

-In a video posted on Tuesday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he vows that Syria's new government will face the same fate as the ousted government of Bashar al-Assad, should it threaten Israel. 

-The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday issued a statement condemning Israel's seizure of the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights. "The occupation is in violation and contravention of international law," the statement said, citing the disengagement deal of 1974 between Israel and Syria.

-The head of US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, visited Kurdish and US-backed forces at "several bases" in northwestern Syria on Tuesday. "He received a firsthand assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation. USCENTCOM remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS," a statement said. 

-The Russian deputy foreign minister has confirmed to NBC News that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was transported to the Russian capital, Moscow, "in the most secure way possible". 

The US-backed Kurdish Syrian forces (SDF) and Syria's Turkey-backed rebels reached a ceasefire agreement in the northern city of Manbij through a US mediation "to ensure the safety and security of civilians," SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said early on Wednesday.

"The fighters of the Manbij Military Council, who have been resisting the attacks since November 27, will withdraw from the area as soon as possible," Abdi added.

- Reporting by Reuters

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke via phone on Tuesday about "recent events in Syria and the end of the Assad regime".

"The Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to the Syrian people and underscored the need for sustained peace, restraint by parties in Syria, and the protection of human rights," Ottawa's readout said.