THE Syrian factions that toppled President Bashar al-Assad last month named jihadist leader Ahmad al-Sharaa as the country’s interim president on Wednesday.

The appointment of Mr Sharaa as Syria’s president came after a meeting of the former insurgent factions in Damascus, the Syrian capital.

Mr Sharaa is head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. He was once a prominent member of terrorist group al-Qaida.