Syrian transitional government chief "could take four years to hold elections"

It could take up to four years for the Syrian transitional government's chief executive to hold elections to establish a new government after 13 years of civil war.

Syrian rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who leads the transitional government, and HTS chief Ahmed al-Shara said in an interview with Saudi Arabia's state broadcaster Al-Arabiya that drafting the constitution could take up to three years.

This is the first time the transitional government, which ousted Bashar al-Assad's regime earlier this month, has commented on the timetable for elections.

The interim government suspended the constitution and parliamentary functions that worked during the Assad regime, and set three months until March 1 next year as the transition period.

Al-Shara also said it would take a year or so for the Syrian people to feel fundamental change.

He said he would declare the dissolution of the HTS through the Syrian National Dialogue meeting, adding that he hoped U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office next month, would lift sanctions on Syria.

The U.S. severed ties with Syria and imposed economic sanctions during the Assad regime, which was close to Iran, and designated HTS as a terrorist group because it was linked to the Sunni extremist militant group Al Qaeda in the past.

The interim government also said it would reorganize existing security agencies after dismantling them.

In addition, about 300 people, including low-level officers and former government informants accused of murder and torture, were arrested and weapons and ammunition were seized in a campaign to wipe out pro-Asad militias, AFP and others said.