Syria's prime minister said the country's government is still functioning and most ministers are still working, even after rebels entered Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad fled the country.
Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali told Sky News Arabian Television: “We are working to ensure that the transition period is swift and smooth.”
The prime minister also said the government was working with the rebels and was prepared to meet with rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
Jalali added that Syrians have access to food and medicine.
The Associated Press pointed out that Jalali remained in his post after Assad left the country over the weekend and said he had worked to maintain an atmosphere of normalcy.
Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “reach out” to the rebels and work towards forming a transitional government.
The rebel victory early Sunday ended a 10-day offensive in which fighters took control of most government-held land and effectively ended the Assad family's 50-year rule.
According to reports, Assad fled the capital before the militants stormed in and arrived in Moscow with his family on Sunday. They were granted asylum by Russia.
Citizens took to the streets to mark a critical moment in Syria's civil war, but the violence has raised questions about instability in the country and region.
President Biden called Assad's ouster “an act of fundamental justice” but said there was “risk and uncertainty” at this moment.
Israel welcomed the news of Assad's fall, as he was a key ally of Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israeli forces had temporarily occupied a buffer zone in Syria dating back to a 1974 agreement after the Syrian army withdrew from the area amid the uprising.
The Associated Press contributed.
