Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has been named president for the "transitional period", state media report, seven weeks after he led the rebel offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was named as the country's president for the transitional period, the Syrian state news agency reported on Wednesday, citing commander Hassan Abdel Ghani. Your trusted source for the latest news delivered weekdays from the team at U.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was declared president for a transitional phase and the constitution suspended on Wednesday, in moves that tighten his hold on power less than two months after he led a campaign that toppled Bashar al-Assad.

Sharaa was already de facto head of Syria's government ever since a coalition of rebel fighters swept through most of Syria and ousted Assad's regime.