Syrian opposition fighters have appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as the caretaker prime minister of a transitional government, following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Bashir, who previously led the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) in rebel-held Idlib province, will serve in the role until March 2025.

In a televised statement, he confirmed that a cabinet meeting had been held to transfer government responsibilities from the ousted regime to the new caretaker administration.

Al-Bashir’s leadership comes after a rapid offensive by opposition forces that resulted in the fall of Damascus, ending over 50 years of Assad family rule.

His ties to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that spearheaded the regime’s downfall, are well-established, as he headed the SSG, which governed Idlib since 2017.

The SSG, which provides essential services in rebel-controlled areas, is now expanding its operations to Aleppo, the first major city to be captured during the recent offensive.

In the meantime, Israel has intensified its military operations in Syria.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israeli forces targeted Syrian naval vessels in overnight airstrikes, part of a broader strategy to destroy Syrian military capabilities that pose a threat to Israel.

The Israeli military has conducted over 300 airstrikes in Syria since the fall of Assad’s regime, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Israel’s actions have sparked criticism from multiple countries.

Qatar condemned Israel’s violations of Syria’s sovereignty, while Turkey accused Israel of displaying an “occupying mentality.”

Palestinian militant group Hamas also condemned the strikes, calling them “barbaric” and urging the international community to hold Israel accountable.

Hamas accused Israel of imposing its actions on the entire region through these strikes.

At least 127 people, primarily civilians, were killed in Sudan on Monday and Tuesday as the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched intense airstrikes, barrel bombings, and artillery fire on densely populated areas.

Rights groups reported the deaths amid the ongoing 20-month conflict, which has shown no signs of de-escalation despite failed ceasefire efforts.

On Monday, more than eight barrel bombs struck a market in Kabkabiya, North Darfur, leaving over 100 people dead, according to the Al-Fashir Resistance Committee.

Emergency Lawyers, a human rights organization, confirmed the death toll and hundreds of injuries.

The army, however, denied responsibility for the attack, justifying its airstrikes as targeting RSF military positions.

The following day, the RSF shelled an army-controlled area in Omdurman, Khartoum state, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people, including 14 bus passengers.

State authorities reported a total of 65 casualties, with many injured victims transferred to Al-Naw Hospital.

The conflict has displaced millions of Sudanese, with famine declared at the Zamzam camp in North Darfur.

Shelling in the area on Tuesday killed seven people, according to Adam Rojal from the Coordinating Committee for Displaced People.

France has begun the process of withdrawing its military forces from Chad, with the departure of two Mirage fighter jets from the capital, N’Djamena, the French military announced.

This move follows Chad’s decision, announced two weeks ago, to end its defense cooperation agreement with France.

On November 28, Chad surprised many by terminating the longstanding defense pact, which had allowed French troops to operate in the country as part of efforts to combat Islamist militant groups in the Sahel region.

While the specifics of the withdrawal, including whether any French troops will remain in Chad, have yet to be finalized, the French military confirmed that the first two Mirage jets had returned to their home base in eastern France.

Army spokesperson Colonel Guillaume Vernet stated that the departure of these jets represents the initial phase of withdrawing French military equipment stationed in N’Djamena.

Russia has pledged to continue its military campaign in Ukraine until it accomplishes its objectives, whether through further combat or negotiations.

The Kremlin’s intelligence chief has stated that Russia is close to achieving its goals, which include the full withdrawal of Ukraine from four eastern regions that Russia claims as its own.

However, Ukraine firmly rejects this demand, viewing it as a form of capitulation.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, while open to the idea of a ceasefire, has proposed that Ukraine’s unoccupied territories be granted NATO membership as a condition for ending the active conflict.

He also suggested that foreign forces could be deployed in these areas until Ukraine formally joins NATO, with the hope of eventually negotiating the return of the occupied regions.

Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire between the warring parties.

Despite this, Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia’s military operations will continue until all of its objectives are achieved.

He emphasized that these goals could be reached either through military force or diplomatic negotiations, although no peace talks are currently underway.