Sharaa made Syria president for transition

DAMASCUS, Jan 31 (Reuters): Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was declared president for a transitional phase on Wednesday, tightening his hold on power less than two months after he led a campaign that toppled Bashar al-Assad.

Sharaa was also empowered to form a temporary legislative council for a transitional period and the Syrian constitution was suspended, according to an announcement made by the military command which led the offensive against Assad.

The decisions emerged from a meeting of military commanders who took part in the assault, a campaign spearheaded by Sharaa's Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group - a former al Qaeda affiliate.

Addressing the conference, Sharaa said the first priority in Syria was to fill a vacuum in government "in a legitimate and legal way".

He also said civil peace must be preserved through transitional justice and preventing displays of revenge, that state institutions - foremost among them military and security forces - be rebuilt, and that economic infrastructure be developed.