BREAKING NEWS

Syrian rebel leader says he will dissolve toppled regime forces, close prisons

Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa - better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani - told Reuters in a written statement on Wednesday that he would dissolve the security forces of the toppled regime of Bashar al-Assad.

The military command affiliated with his group, which is known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, already said they would grant an amnesty to military conscripts.

He would now also "dissolve the security forces of the previous regime and close the notorious prisons," Sharaa said in a statement shared exclusively with Reuters by his office.

Sharaa also said he was closely following up on possible chemical weapons depots and coordinating with international organisations to secure them. The group had already announced it would not use those weapons under any circumstances.