DAMASCUS — Holding new elections in Syria could take up to four years, leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has said in a broadcast interview.

This is the first time he has given a timeline for possible elections in Syria since his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a rebel offensive that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad.

In an interview with Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya on Sunday, he said drafting a new constitution could take up to three years.

He said it could also be a year before Syrians begin to see significant change and improvements to public services following the overthrow of the Assad regime.

Sharaa said Syria needed to rebuild its legal system and would have to hold a comprehensive population census to run legitimate elections.

Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has led the country's new authorities after the Assad presidency fell earlier this month.

Since then, questions have been raised over how HTS will govern the multi-ethnic country.

HTS began as a militant group espousing violence to achieve its goal of establishing a state governed by Islamic law but has distanced itself from that past in recent years.

Sharaa said the group, which was once aligned with Islamic State and al- Qaeda and is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN and many countries, will be "dissolved" at an upcoming national dialogue conference but gave no further details.

The gathering could be the first test of whether Syria's new leadership can achieve the promised goal of uniting the country after thirteen years of civil war.

Responding to criticism of his transitional government, he said the appointments made were "essential" and not meant to exclude anyone.

Syria is home to many ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shia and Arab Sunnis, the last of whom make up a majority of the Muslim population.

His group have promised to protect the rights and freedoms of minorities in the country.

Meanwhile, nearly 300 people have been arrested in the past week in a crackdown on Assad loyalists, according to a UK-based war monitor.

Those arrested include informants, pro-regime fighters and former soldiers, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He told AFP news agency the arrests had been taking place "with the cooperation of local populations".

Syrian state news agency Sana also reported arrests this week targeting "Assad militia members" where weapons and ammunition were seized. — BBC