No information on al-Assad’s whereabouts after regime collapse: Syrian PM

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali said on Sunday that his last contact with fallen Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was on Saturday evening, adding that he has no information on al-Assad’s whereabouts.

Speaking in an interview hours after the armed opposition groups announced that al-Assad’s government has fallen, al-Jalali said in his last call with al-Assad he “filled him in with regards to what is happening and Al-Assad told me ‘tomorrow we will see.’”

Al-Jalali said that there has been communication with the Military Operations Administration and there was agreement on the importance of maintaining state institutions.

“There has been contact with al-Jolani,” he said in reference to the leader of “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.

Al-Jalali had said that he hoped that a settlement would have been reached before the events developed, reiterating his stance from earlier this morning that he is ready to cooperate with any leadership that the people choose.

Al-Assad’s 24-year rule ended on Sunday after armed opposition forces made the announcement.

The Military Operations Administration has pressed a lightning offensive since November 27, sweeping swathes of the country from government control, including major cities Aleppo, Hama and Homs.

Provinces in the country’s south and east have also fallen from government hands after local fighters seized control and al-Assad’s forces withdrew.

“There should be elections and people should choose who represents them,” al-Jalali told Al Arabiya.

Al-Jalali had earlier Sunday said in a social media post that he was “ready for any handover procedures.”

Also speaking in a separate interview, Syrian telecommunications minister Iyad al-Khatib said that telecom lines are working properly across Syria and that internet connection has been restored in Hama Province.

Al-Khatib added that has been contacted by a representative from “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” responsible for telecoms services where they agreed that telecoms and internet would continue to function.