Syria Promotes Ex-Rebels, Foreign Fighters Amid HTS Control Post-Assad

Dec 30, 2024, 06:07 PM

Syria's new leadership, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, has promoted 49 individuals, including former rebels and foreign jihadists, to positions in the country's military. Among the appointees are six foreign fighters from nations such as China, Jordan, Turkey, and Albania. These promotions, which include ranks of brigadier-general and colonel, are part of efforts to integrate former rebel factions into a unified national army following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8. The appointments have raised concerns among foreign governments and Syrian citizens about the intentions of the new administration, which has pledged to rule with tolerance and not to export Islamic revolution. The Uyghur militant Abdulaziz Dawood Khudaberdi, a commander of the Turkistan Islamic Party, and Murhaf Abu Qasra, HTS's military chief, were among those promoted. The move reflects the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group with roots in al-Qaeda, which led the offensive that toppled Assad. HTS has sought to integrate foreign fighters into the new military structure while maintaining its commitment to them. Critics argue that these appointments consolidate HTS's control over Syria's defense ministry and military restructuring.