Syrian Interim Government الحكومة السورية المؤقتة Ḥukūmat as-Sūriyya al-Muwaqqata | |||||||||||||
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| 2013–2025 | |||||||||||||
 Emblem | |||||||||||||
.svg) Turkish controlled Syrian territories under the SIG as of24 November 2023 | |||||||||||||
| Status |
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| Capital | |||||||||||||
| Official languages | Arabic | ||||||||||||
| Religion | Islam (de jure) | ||||||||||||
| Government | Unitaryprovisional government | ||||||||||||
| President of Syrian National Coalition | |||||||||||||
• 2012–2013 (first) | Moaz al-Khatib | ||||||||||||
• 2023–2025 (last) | Hadi al-Bahra | ||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||||||
• 2013 (first) | Ghassan Hitto | ||||||||||||
• 2019–2025 (last) | Abdurrahman Mustafa | ||||||||||||
| Historical era | Syrian civil war | ||||||||||||
| 11 November 2012 | |||||||||||||
• Foundation of the SIG inIstanbul | 18 March 2013 | ||||||||||||
• Relocation intoTurkish-occupied northern Syria | 24 August 2016 | ||||||||||||
• Creation ofSyrian National Army | 30 December 2017 | ||||||||||||
| 30 November – 12 December 2024 | |||||||||||||
• Union with theSyrian caretaker government | 30 January 2025 | ||||||||||||
| Currency | Syrian pound,Turkish lira,United States dollar[1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+3 (Arabia Standard Time) | ||||||||||||
Website syriaig | |||||||||||||
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Executive
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TheSyrian Interim Government (Arabic: الحكومة السورية المؤقتة;Ḥukūmat as-Sūriyya al-Muwaqqata)[a] was agovernment-in-exile and later aquasi-state inSyria formed on 18 March 2013 by theNational Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (Syrian National Coalition, SNC), an umbrellaopposition group, during theSyrian civil war. The Syrian Interim Government constituted a separate administration in theTurkish-controlled territories in northern Syria and had partial authority there. The interim government's headquarters in Syria were located in the city ofAzaz inAleppo Governorate.[3][4] While responsible to the Syrian National Coalition, the SIG was closely aligned withTurkey. The SIG's armed forces were theSNA.
After thefall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the SIG coexisted for a short period of time with theSyrian caretaker government headed byMohammed al-Bashir in Damascus, while the SNC expressed its support for the caretaker government and called for the formation of a government that would be "inclusive of everyone."[5] On 30 January 2025, the SIG officially "placed itself at the disposal" of the caretaker government,[6][7] which began deploying its forces across former SIG territory in early February 2025.[8]
At a conference held in Istanbul on 19 March 2013, theSyrian National Coalition (SNC) electedGhassan Hitto as prime minister of a Syrianinterim government. Hitto announced that atechnical government would be formed led by 10 to 12 ministers, with theminister of defence to be chosen by theFree Syrian Army.[9] At first, the SIG was "based in exile and lack[ed] an organizational base inside Syria."[10] It was intended that the new ministries would not be placed in a single location but distributed in regions under the control of theSyrian opposition.[11]
AChristian, aKurd and a woman were part of the first cabinet;Ahmad Ramadan of the SNC stated that the cabinet was appointed on ameritocratic basis.[12] TheAssyrian component of the National Coalition said that they were not given any attention in the selection of the cabinet.[12] Its General Assembly has an administrative function.[13] The first interim cabinet was dissolved in July 2014.[14] A new cabinet was formed in October 2014.
The SIG has been the primary civilian authority throughout most of Syria's opposition-held areas. Its system of administrative local councils operate services such as schools and hospitals in these areas.[15] In December 2015, the SIG founded theFree Aleppo University (FAU), as an alternative to government-run universities; an estimated 7,000 students were enrolled in FAU in early 2018, with campuses in opposition-held territory across five provinces. In January 2018, the SIG moved the University's administration fromIdlib to the west Aleppo town ofBashqateen.[16] In late September 2016, the Syrian interim government minister for local administration was among a dozen people killed by an ISIL suicide bomber in the southern city ofInkhil.[17][18]
The interim government was based in Turkey and has received direct funding from the United States.[19] In January 2015, the Syrian interim government received US$6 million from the United States, the first funding of this kind. The funds were to be used for reconstruction efforts and the strengthening of local government in opposition-held parts of Syria such as northern Aleppo and northwestern Idlib, with the interim government planning to expand into northern Latakia and northern Hama in the following months.[19] By August 2017, the Syrian interim government stopped paying salaries to workers, and work within the interim government becamevoluntary work.[20] As theTurkish occupation of northern Syria grew from 2016, the SIG moved into the Turkish-controlled territories and began to exert partial authority there, including providing documents to Syrian citizens.[21][22][23][24][25]
By late 2017, the SIG presided over 12 provincial councils and over 400 elected local councils. It held elections acrossIdlib Governorate in 2017. It also operates a major border crossing between Syria and Turkey, which generates an estimated $1 million revenue each month.[15] In opposition areas outside the Turkish-occupied ones, the SIG has been in conflict with the IslamistSyrian Salvation Government for control since September 2017.
On 30 December 2017, at least 30 factions operating under the banner of the Syrian Interim Government merged in a unified armed group after four months of preparations.Jawad Abu Hatab, the SIG's Prime Minister and Defence Minister, announced the formation of theSyrian National Army (SNA) after meeting with rebel commanders in the town of Azaz. The newly formed body claimed to have 22,000 fighters, many of them trained and equipped by Turkey.[26] TheNational Front for Liberation was also aligned to the Syrian Interim Government, and eventually became a subgroup of the SNA.
In 2023,Syria Direct reported that while the Syrian National Coalition was officially a higher authority than the SIG, it was theTurkish-backed SIG that actually wielded power over it, as a sign that the SNC was now operating essentially under Turkish control.[27] According to another report by Syria Direct, as of 2023 the SIG was still wholly dependent on Turkish support in the areas that it controlled nominally. Each Syrian local council in those areas was tied to a corresponding Turkish province. The councils' coordinators has to report to the Turkish governor who must be consulted before making decisions on strategic matters. Syrian councils were freely elected but, once elected, must work with Turkish governors to implement policies.[28] In July 2024,riots erupted in SIG-held areas to protest Turkish policies and the Turkey's attempts tonormalize relations with the Assad regime.
In late 2024, the Syrian National Army participated in thesurprise offensives that led to thefall of the Assad regime, while also capturing territories from the Kurdish-ledAutonomous Administration of North and East Syria.[29]
Abdurrahman Mustafa, head of the Syrian interim government, signed an order on 30 January 2025 to hand over all his powers and cadres to the Syrian caretaker government in Damascus. The statement was not published on its official account, but a report from theEnab Baladi said that a copy of the statement had been obtained from Yasser Haji, director of the interim government's foreign affairs and international cooperation department, and confirmed its authenticity. The SIG said: "We will provide our capabilities, cadres and expertise to the Syrian state to serve the project of building a new Syria."[6]
The SNA has begun a process of integration into the new Syrian armed forces. On 3 February, it was reported that two SNA leaders were appointed as division commanders in the armed forces by the caretaker government's defense ministry. On 5 February and 6 February, caretaker government forces were deployed across former SIG territories.[8]
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Political party | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | .jpg) | Ghassan Hitto (born 1963) Acting Prime Minister | 18 March 2013 | 14 September 2013 | Independent | Failed to form a government; resigned on 8 July |
| 1 | | Ahmad Tu'mah (born 1965) | 14 September 2013 | 22 July 2014 | Independent | — |
| (1) | | Ahmad Tu'mah (born 1965) | 14 October 2014 | 17 May 2016 | Independent | Second term |
| 2 | .png) | Jawad Abu Hatab (born 1962) | 17 May 2016 | 10 March 2019 | Independent | — |
| 3 | .jpg) | Abdurrahman Mustafa (born 1964) | 30 June 2019 | 30 January 2025 | Syrian Turkmen Assembly | — |
 | This article needs to beupdated. The reason given is: The information below refers to a previous cabinet that was no longer current. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2025) |
| Last ministers | Office | Since | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akram Tomeh | Vice Prime Minister | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Hassan Hamada | Minister of Defense | 15 November 2021[30] | 30 January 2025 |
| Jawad Abu Hatab | Minister of the Interior | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Abdel Moneim Alhalabi | Minister of Finance | 12 July 2016 | 30 January 2025 |
| Mohammed Firas Aljundi | Minister of Health | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Abdul Aziz Aldughem[16] | Minister of Higher Education | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Imad Albarq | Minister of Education | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Yaaqoub Alammar | Minister of Local Administration | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Jamal Kallash | Minister of Agriculture | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
| Abdullah Razzouk | Minister of Services | 12 July 2016 | 30 August 2019 |
