Syria's rebel groups to dissolve, integrate under defence ministry

Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has reached an agreement with various rebel factions to unite under the Defence Ministry, according to the newly established Syrian general administration.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the administration confirmed that al-Sharaa and the leaders of the rebel groups had agreed to dissolve their factions and integrate them under the Ministry of Defence’s supervision.

However, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States and based in northeastern Syria, are not part of this new arrangement.

Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir had announced last week that the Syrian Defence Ministry would be restructured, incorporating former rebel factions and defected officers from Bashar al-Assad’s army.

Now, Sharaa will face the daunting task of trying to avoid clashes between the myriad groups.

This move comes after a sweeping offensive two weeks ago that resulted in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seizing control of Damascus. In the aftermath, the new Syrian leadership appointed Murhaf Abu Qasra, a prominent figure from the rebellion, as the interim defence minister.

Al-Sharaa had previously pledged to place all weapons under state control, including those held by Kurdish-led forces as he reassured Western officials visiting Damascus that HTS, once an al-Qaeda affiliate, would not seek revenge against the former regime or repress any religious minority.

His primary focus, he emphasized, is on reconstruction and economic development, with no interest in launching new conflicts.

The Syrian opposition fighters seized Damascus on December 8, forcing al-Assad to flee and effectively ending his family’s decades-long rule. Al-Sharaa’s forces have since installed a three-month caretaker government.

In a related development, Qatar has called for the swift lifting of sanctions on Syria. This came after a high-level Qatari delegation visited Damascus, marking a significant shift in relations between the two nations.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, emphasized the need for sanctions to be removed, stating that the crimes committed by the former regime, which led to these sanctions, are no longer relevant.

The Qatari embassy in Damascus reopened on Sunday, ending a 13-year diplomatic rift.