Although the conference was called to chart the country’s future, the Kurdish-led militia that controls much of Syria’s northeast was not invited.

Syria’s new rulers have kicked off a long-awaited national dialogue conference as an “exceptional and rare historical opportunity” to rebuild the country after nearly 14 years of cvil war and the fall of former President Bashar Assad.

Syria has a "historic opportunity" to build itself anew, its interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Tuesday, addressing a national dialogue summit billed by Syria's Islamist rulers as a key milestone after decades of Assad-family rule.

A long-awaited national dialogue conference intended to help chart Syria’s political future after the fall of former President Bashar Assad is set to begin.

Participants in Syria’s first national dialogue called for reforms in the political and judicial systems as the country navigates the transitional phase that followed the fall of the Assad regime.

Syria's new authorities will hold a national dialogue conference starting on February 25 to discuss a new path for the nation after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, two members of its preparatory committee said on Sunday.

Nearly three months after Assad fled, much of Syria is suspended between relief at the dictatorship’s demise and anxiety over what comes next.

About 600 people were invited to the gathering in the presidential palace in Damascus, hosted by the new authorities led by the Islamist former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

Syria's interim president said on Tuesday his country had a "historic opportunity" to rebuild, addressing a national dialogue summit billed by Syria's Islamist rulers as a key milestone after decades of Assad-family rule.