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Syria Appoints HTS Military Chief Murhaf Abu Qasra as Defense Minister to Rebuild Army Post-Assad

Dec 31, 2024, 09:13 AM

Syria's new administration has appointed Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, HTS's military chief previously known as Abu Hassan 600 or Abu Hassan al-Hamawi, as the country's defense minister. This appointment is part of efforts to restructure state institutions following Assad's ouster. Abu Qasra, a senior leader in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was instrumental in the offensive that toppled Assad and is now tasked with rebuilding the army alongside former rebels. The new rulers have also integrated some foreign Islamist fighters into senior military roles, including Uyghurs, a Jordanian, and a Turk, among 49 appointments aimed at shaping a professional military from various rebel groups. This move has raised concerns among some foreign governments and Syrian citizens about the intentions of the new administration, despite its pledges not to export an Islamic revolution and to govern with tolerance toward minority groups.