manySyria’s new leaders have reportedly given some foreign Islamist fighters top positions in the Syrian army.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that now de facto controls the country following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, is reorganizing its military.
Although no new leadership moves have been confirmed, concerns are likely to be raised both inside and outside Syria about the role radicalized foreign militants could play in the country’s future.
Several Syrian sources inferred that at least six of the nearly 50 new military roles announced were given to foreigners.
According to the released names, they reportedly include Chinese Uyghurs, Jordanians, and Turks. They are all said to have held high-ranking positions such as colonels or brigadiers.
The role of foreign fighters in various armed groups during the civil war is one that evokes strong emotions in Syria.
Thousands of fighters from a variety of countries have joined the uprising against Assad as mass protests turned into full-scale armed conflict in the face of violence from security forces.
Some have formed their own groups, while others have provided the core of the Islamic State group that has taken control of large areas of eastern Syria.
Opponents of HTS have long accused it of being comprised of foreign jihadists. Assad’s supporters have been accused of trying to delegitimize HTS as it launches its final and decisive attack against the regime.
But HTS leader and now Syrian Ahmed al-Sharaa has been eliminating some of the foreign fighters to bolster his group’s credentials as a nationalist rather than openly while running a rebel enclave in Idlib. . Jihad forces.
Since coming to power, al-Shara’s message has repeatedly emphasized its vision of a unified Syrian state in which all communities should be respected and have a stake.
For those concerned that his actions may not match his words, this apparent move to formalize the position of some prominent foreign fighters may give them more time to think.
The appointments appear to have been made to reward fighters who played a key role in the final victory over the regime, whether in Syria or elsewhere.
For the same reason, it appears likely that some of the remaining foreign fighters, along with their families, will now be granted Syrian citizenship.
This issue is just one of many that could complicate a successful transition to a new political and social framework in Syria.
The new authorities are placing a lot of emphasis on a national dialogue conference, which is being prepared to bring together representatives from all walks of life, although no date has been set.
It is hoped that this conference will begin the process of rebuilding the country’s fractured and fractured institutions.
