DAMASCUS, Feb 25, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Syria's new interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, said he plans to establish a transitional justice committee, in a speech Tuesday after the opening of a national dialogue conference.

Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled longtime president Bashar al-Assad in December, also emphasised the unity of Syria and the state's "monopoly" on weapons.

The national dialogue conference, held in the presidential palace in Damascus, marks the start of a crucial phase for the country's future governance after a devastating civil war.

"Over the past two months, we have worked on pursuing those who committed crimes against Syrians," Sharaa told the gathering.

"We will work on forming a transitional justice body to restore people's rights, ensure justice, and, God willing, bring criminals to justice.

"The unity of arms and their monopoly by the state is not a luxury but a duty and an obligation," the interim leader said.

"Syria is indivisible; it is a complete whole, and its strength lies in its unity."

Hundreds of people were seen arriving for the conference in footage published by the official SANA news agency, before discussions got underway.