SanaAccording to reports, the new Syrian authorities have given some foreign Islamist fighters high positions in the country’s armed forces.
The army is being reorganized by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is now effectively in charge of the country, following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
The move has not been confirmed by the new leadership, but it appears likely to raise concerns inside and outside of Syria about the role such foreign fighters could play in the country’s future.
Their presence in Syria during the 13-year civil war helped make the conflict more violent and brutal.
Jihadists from abroad were seen as trying to impose their extremist ideology on Syria – something Syrians of all communities are now saying they will not accept in the country’s post-Assad future.
Several Syrian sources estimate that at least six of the roughly 50 new military roles that have been announced have gone to foreigners.
Based on the names that have been published, they are said to include a Chinese Uighur, a Jordanian and a Turkish national. All are said to have been given high ranks as colonels or brigadier generals.
The role of foreign fighters in various armed groups during the civil war is one that stirs up strong emotions in Syria.
Thousands of fighters from many different countries joined the uprising against Assad as it turned into a full-blown armed conflict when mass protests were met with violence by security forces.
Some formed their own groups and others provided the core of the Islamic State (IS) group, which took control of large swaths of eastern Syria.
Opponents of the HTS have long accused it of being made up mostly of foreign jihadists — a charge Assad’s supporters sought to delegitimize the group after it launched its latest crackdown on the government. What was the attack?
But in the years since he ran the rebel enclave in Idlib, Ahmed al-Harara – the leader of HTS and now Syria – was getting rid of some of these foreign fighters to emphasize his group’s nationalist status. Instead of strengthening. Jihadist force
Since assuming power, al-Shaara’s message has repeatedly emphasized the vision of a united Syrian state, in which all communities must be respected and part of.
For those worried that his actions don’t match his words, this apparent move to regularize the positions of some prominent foreign fighters may give them more pause for thought.
The appointments are apparently made to reward fighters – whether from Syria or elsewhere – who played a key role in the eventual victory over the regime.
For this reason, some of the remaining foreign fighters – along with their families – are now likely to be granted Syrian citizenship.
This issue is one of many that could complicate the successful transition to a new political and social framework in Syria.
The new authorities are putting a lot of weight on a national dialogue conference that is being prepared to bring together representatives from all sections of society – although no date has been set.
It is hoped that this conference will stimulate the process of rebuilding the institutions of the broken and divided country.