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Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected in the coming weeks to convene a workshop aimed at forming a new, inclusive government with expanded powers, a Syrian source close to the president told i24NEWS.

The planned government is expected to include representatives from across Syrian society in an effort to address the concerns of minority groups. According to the source, those selected will be figures viewed as enjoying both domestic and international legitimacy.

i24NEWS has learned that a leading contender for the post of prime minister is veteran Syrian politician Fahad al-Masri, chairman of the Syrian Liberal Party. A U.S. official said the Trump administration “appreciates al-Masri’s support for Washington’s positions regarding Syria and the region” and believes Syria would be well-served by him in an influential role.

According to the U.S. official, the workshop to form a new government is among several ideas that have been floated and discussed in order to reach a more permanent, non-transitional government.

Barrack Withdraws SDF Support in Syria

The official said that U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack’s decision to withdraw support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stems in part from his belief that Syria’s Kurds must be integrated into the government in Damascus to enhance its legitimacy.

“Making clear that, from Washington’s perspective, the SDF’s mandate has expired is a way to encourage the Kurds to integrate and accelerate the formation of a broad, inclusive government,” the U.S. official said.

The Syrian army and Kurdish armed forces began withdrawing from their positions on the outskirts of Syria’s northeastern region last week as part of the latest ceasefire and integration agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The withdrawals came around a week after Damascus’s Internal Security Forces entered Hasakah and Qamishli, SDF strongholds in Syria’s northeastern province, as part of the integration agreement announced on January 30. 

The latest integration agreement between Damascus and the SDF consists of 14 provisions, including a comprehensive ceasefire, the withdrawal of military forces from points of contact and the entrance of Internal Security Forces into Qamishli and Hasakah to “strengthen stability and security.”