Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa Announces First Cabinet Reshuffle Since Assad Ouster

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a series of government changes through late-night presidential decrees published by state news agency SANA. The decrees mark the first cabinet reshuffle since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa appointed Khaled Zaarour as information minister, replacing Hamza Mustafa.

Mustafa was moved to the foreign ministry. As agriculture minister, Sharaa named Bassel Sweidan. Sweidan also heads a committee tasked with reaching settlement agreements with business tycoons linked to the Assad-era elite. Sharaa replaced governors in the provinces of Homs, al-Quneitra, and Deir Ezzor.

Deir Ezzor is the eastern province where most of Syria’s oil fields are located.

No official reason was given for the changes.

The reshuffle comes around a year and a half into the five-year transitional period set out in Syria’s constitutional declaration. Protests and social media campaigns have emerged in recent months over worsening economic conditions and what critics describe as poor government performance.

Sharaa also appointed a new secretary-general for the presidency. The post was previously held by one of his brothers, a move that had drawn criticism from opponents who accused the administration of favoring nepotism over merit. The changes were reported by state news agency SANA on May 10, 2026.