Damascus, Syria - December 08, 2024 Lebanese experts have emphasized the importance of Syrian unity, noting it is crucial for the country's stability and for the interests of other Arab countries. The situation in Syria has undergone a dramatic shift in recent days, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters declared Sunday the liberation of Damascus and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government following two weeks of sweeping offensives. Mohammed al-Bashir, head of the "Syrian Salvation Government" in Idlib formed in 2017 by the HTS and other Syrian militant groups during the Syrian civil war, announced Tuesday that he has been tasked with heading a transitional government in Syria until early March 2025. Meanwhile, other countries in the region have said that the nation's future should be determined by the Syrian people themselves, urging a political solution to restore stability. In neighboring Lebanon, analysts have called for peace, stability, and unity in Syria, emphasizing that this is also in the interests of Lebanon. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024: 1. Various of armed opposition groups, pedestrians, traffic; Beirut, Lebanon - Recent 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Salah Salam, editor-in-chief, Al-Liwaa newspaper (starting with shot 1/partially overlaid with shots 3-4): "Stability in Syria means stability in Lebanon. Any unrest in Syria means unrest in Lebanon. In addition, this new regime opens the doors for displaced Syrians to return to their villages, homes, and cities."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 3. Damaged vehicles on street; 4. Various of street scenes, pedestrians; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Damascus, Syria - Dec 9, 2024 5. Traffic; Beirut, Lebanon - Recent 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammad Mishik, professor of International Law, Lebanese University (partially overlaid with shots 7-8): "In principle, the majority of Arab countries, including Lebanon, support the unity of Syria, as it aligns with the interests of all Arab countries, including Lebanon. Syria and Lebanon share a common history, and the two peoples also maintain close ties today. Therefore, a peaceful, safe, and unified Syria is in line with our interests."; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 7. Smoke rising from building; 8. Pedestrians, traffic; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Beirut, Lebanon - Recent 9. Various of street scenes. [Restriction - No Access Chinese Mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]