Latest news with #HayatTahrirAlSham
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
Syria has recruited half of planned 200,000-strong army, military sources say
Syria's transitional authorities have so far recruited half of a planned 200,000-man army, a Syrian military official briefed on the progress told The National. Uniting the myriad of factions from the civil war that broke out in 2011 is crucial for the consolidation of power by President Ahmad Al Shara, and could heal the country's fragmentation. The leaders of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the group that led a rebel offensive that removed the former regime in December, are aiming for a major geo-political Middle East transformation. Speaking to The National, the official said a 3,500 man brigade, comprising mostly Uyghur fighters, has been created under a commander known as Abu Muhammad Al Turkistani - a pseudonym. He owes loyalty to a more senior Uyghur figure in Syria known as Abu Dajana, who has a direct line to President Ahmad Al Shara, the official explained." The Uyghurs and most of the foreign fighters will be given Syrian citizenship by the end of the years," the official said, adding that the 200,000 army will mostly comprise of existing HTS members and other factions from the civil war rather than conscripts without military experience. Earlier on Tuesday Reuters confirmed that foreign fighters who were allies of HTS in the civil war have been brought into a new brigade, meeting a major US demand to contain them. Last week, US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, met Mr Al Shara in Damascus and announced that Washington would lift Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The new army includes 30,000 members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and 15,000 members of the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - which is currently in control of large parts of eastern Syria. A deal between Mr Al Shara and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi have discussed integrating the forces into the new army. The Uyghurs in Syria mainly came from China during the Syrian civil war. They belong to the Al-Qaeda linked Turkistan Islamic Party, which allied with HTS and its forerunners. For years, the group spearheaded HTS attacks on the former regime and other foes until the group built its own, special forces with majority Syrians, according to HTS sources. The army is expected to be firmly under the Syrian authorities. About two-thirds of the senior commanders already appointed are HTS members, while the rest are drawn from the brigades that had allied with the group, such as the Syrian National Army. Salaries range from $150 to $500 and are currently being paid from resources under HTS control, including two telecom companies that belonged to former President Bashar Al Assad and his associates, the official said. But, a US decision last month to lift sanctions on Syria will help draw Arab funding, he added. Every division, 20,000 in size, will have five brigades, comprising of two infantry brigades, one armoured brigade, one special forces and one "multi-task". "Most brigades, bar the infantry, are still at skeleton stage". The official said the plans are being mainly drawn by Ali Noureddine Al Naasan, whom Mr Al Shara appointed as army head in January, and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra. Both men are close comrades of Mr Al Shara during most of his transformation from a fighter in an extremist group to a President.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
US gives nod to Syria to bring foreign militant ex-rebels into army
The United States has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leadership to incorporate thousands of foreign militant former rebel fighters into the national army, provided that it does so transparently, President Donald Trump's envoy said. Three Syrian defence officials said that under the plan, some 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly Uyghurs from China and neighbouring countries, would join a newly-formed unit, the 84th Syrian army division, which would also include Syrians. Asked by Reuters in Damascus whether Washington approved the integration of foreign fighters into Syria's new military, Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey who was named Trump's special envoy to Syria last month, said: "I would say there is an understanding, with transparency." He said it was better to keep the fighters, many of whom are "very loyal" to Syria's new administration, within a state project than to exclude them. The fate of foreigners who joined Syria's Hayat Tahrir Al Sham rebels during the 13-year war between rebel groups and President Bashar Al Assad has been one of the most fraught issues hindering a rapprochement with the West since HTS, a one-time offshoot of Al Qaeda, toppled Assad and took power last year. At least until early May, the United States had been demanding the new leadership broadly exclude foreign fighters from the security forces. But Washington's approach to Syria has changed sharply since Trump toured the Middle East last month. Trump agreed to lift Assad-era sanctions on Syria, met Syria's interim President Ahmed Al Sharaa in Riyadh and named Barrack, a close friend, as his special envoy. Two sources close to the Syrian defence ministry told Reuters that Sharaa and his circle had been arguing to Western interlocutors that bringing foreign fighters into the army would be less of a security risk than abandoning them, which could drive them into the orbit of Al Qaeda or Daesh. The US State Department and a Syrian government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese concerns Thousands of foreigners joined Syria's rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against Assad, who was himself aided by Iranian-backed militias. Some fighters formed their own factions, while others joined established groups such as Daesh, which briefly declared a caliphate in swathes of Syria and Iraq before being routed by an array of forces backed both by the United States and Iran. Foreign fighters within HTS earned a reputation as loyal, disciplined and experienced militants, and formed the backbone of the group's elite so-called suicide units. They fought against Daesh and against other wings of Al Qaeda from 2016, when HTS broke away from the group founded by Osama bin Laden. The Uyghur fighters from China and Central Asia are members of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a group designated as terrorists by Beijing. A Syrian official and a foreign diplomat said China had sought to have the group's influence in Syria restricted. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: "China hopes that Syria will oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces in response to the concerns of the international community." Osman Bughra, a TIP political official, told Reuters in a written statement that the group had officially dissolved and integrated into the Syrian army. "At present, the group operates entirely under the authority of the Ministry of Defence, adheres to national policy, and maintains no affiliations with external entities or groups," he said. In December, the appointment of a handful of foreign militants who were part of HTS's senior leadership to top military posts had alarmed Western governments, raising concerns over the direction of Syria's new Islamist leadership. Demands to freeze the appointments and expel rank-and-file foreign fighters became a key point of contention with Washington and other Western countries up until the week of Trump's landmark meeting with Sharaa. Sharaa has said that foreign fighters and their families may be granted Syrian citizenship due to their role in fighting Assad. Abbas Sharifa, a Damascus-based expert on militant groups, said the fighters being included in the army had shown loyalty to Syria's leadership and were "ideologically filtered". But "if you abandon them they become prey to Daesh or other radical groups" he said.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
US gives nod to Syria to bring former opposition foreign fighters into army
The United States has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leadership to incorporate thousands of foreign fighters who fought alongside the Syrian opposition against Bashar al-Assad into the national army, provided that it does so transparently, President Donald Trump's envoy said. Three Syrian defense officials said that under the plan, some 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly Uyghurs from China and neighboring countries, would join a newly-formed unit, the 84th Syrian army division, which would also include Syrians. Asked by Reuters in Damascus whether Washington approved the integration of foreign fighters into Syria's new military, Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey who was named Trump's special envoy to Syria last month, said: 'I would say there is an understanding, with transparency.' He said it was better to keep the fighters, many of whom are 'very loyal' to Syria's new administration, within a state project than to exclude them. The fate of foreigners who joined Syria's 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' opposition fighters during the 13-year war between armed opposition groups and President Bashar al-Assad has been one of the most fraught issues hindering a rapprochement with the West since HTS, a one-time offshoot of al-Qaeda, toppled al-Assad and took power last year. At least until early May, the United States had been demanding the new leadership broadly exclude foreign fighters from the security forces. But Washington's approach to Syria has changed sharply since Trump toured the Middle East last month. Trump agreed to lift al-Assad-era sanctions on Syria, met Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and named Barrack, a close friend, as his special envoy. Two sources close to the Syrian defense ministry told Reuters that al-Sharaa and his circle had been arguing to Western interlocutors that bringing foreign fighters into the army would be less of a security risk than abandoning them, which could drive them into the orbit of al-Qaeda or ISIS. The US State Department and a Syrian government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese concerns Thousands of foreigners joined Syria's armed opposition forces early in the 13-year civil war to fight against al-Assad, who was himself aided by Iranian-backed Shia militias. Some fighters formed their own factions, while others joined established groups such as ISIS, which briefly declared a caliphate in swathes of Syria and Iraq before being routed by an array of forces backed both by the United States and Iran. Foreign fighters within HTS earned a reputation as loyal, disciplined and experienced militants, and formed the backbone of the group's elite so-called suicide units. They fought against ISIS and against other wings of al-Qaeda from 2016, when HTS broke away from the group founded by Osama bin Laden. The Uyghur fighters from China and Central Asia are members of the Turkistan Islamic Party, a group designated as terrorists by Beijing. A Syrian official and a foreign diplomat said China had sought to have the group's influence in Syria restricted. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: 'China hopes that Syria will oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces in response to the concerns of the international community.' Osman Bughra, a TIP political official, told Reuters in a written statement that the group had officially dissolved and integrated into the Syrian army. 'At present, the group operates entirely under the authority of the Ministry of Defense, adheres to national policy, and maintains no affiliations with external entities or groups,' he said. In December, the appointment of a handful of foreign fighters who were part of HTS's senior leadership to top military posts had alarmed Western governments, raising concerns over the direction of Syria's new leadership. Demands to freeze the appointments and expel rank-and-file foreign fighters became a key point of contention with Washington and other Western countries up until the week of Trump's landmark meeting with al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa has said that foreign fighters and their families may be granted Syrian citizenship due to their role in fighting al-Assad. Abbas Sharifa, a Damascus-based expert on extremist groups, said the fighters being included in the army had shown loyalty to Syria's leadership and were 'ideologically filtered.' But 'if you abandon them they become prey to ISIS or other radical groups' he said.
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
Under pressure, Kurdish militia resumes integration talks with Damascus
The mostly Kurdish militia that controls large parts of eastern Syria is seeking to resurrect an integration deal with Damascus following moves by the US, its main backer, to bolster the authority of the new central government established by the former rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS). The March 10 agreement faltered after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-backed militia, convened a conference of Kurdish political groups in April that demanded that Syria be governed under a federal system. However, the SDF's position has been undermined by the recent Turkish and Saudi-brokered rapprochement between Washington and the HTS-led government in Damascus. The SDF-dominated administration in the east "supports Syria's unity and sovereignty", the Kurdish delegation said in a statement issued after a meeting with Syrian officials in Damascus on Sunday. The statement said that there would be another round of talks soon, but it did not specify a date. The statement made no reference to the future of the SDF, which seeks to remain a separate unit rather than being absorbed into the new Syrian armed forces of the Damascus government. The secular SDF is the second-most powerful faction in Syria, after HTS, the religious armed group that led the rebel offensive that toppled former dictator Bashar Al Assad in December. Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara is also the leader of HTS. Restoring control of the east to the central authorities would further strengthen Mr Al Shara, whose international acceptance as Syria's new leader received a major boost after his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia last month. The US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, a close Trump ally who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey, met Mr Al Shara in Damascus last week and announced that Washington would lift Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. He said the US would "give this young government a chance by not interfering, not demanding, by not giving conditions". The Kurdish delegation said they also discussed the thorny issue of returning displaced people to the east during the talks on Sunday. Many among the three million population of the area were forcibly displaced after Kurdish militias who were forerunners of the SDF captured the area from the Assad regime starting in 2012, the year after the start of an uprising against the former president. The Kurdish militias expelled thousands of Arab families but many Kurds were also forced to leave after Turkey carved out a zone of control in the area in 2018. The two sides agreed to explore "mechanisms to facilitate the return of displaced persons to their areas and addressing the obstacles hindering this return". They also agreed to reactivate an agreement for Damascus security forces to enter a mostly Kurdish neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo, the Kurdish delegation said.
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Syria's Al Shara in Kuwait amid drive for Gulf investment
Syria 's President Ahmad Al Shara visited Kuwait on Sunday and discussed ways to stabilise his country with Emir Sheikh Meshal, official media said, amid a push by Damascus to secure Gulf investments. The official Kuwaiti news agency said the two men, who met at the emir's palace in Kuwait, discussed expanding ties and "strengthening efforts by the international community to guarantee the security and stability of Syria". It was the fourth visit by Mr Al Shara to a Gulf country since his rebel allies appointed him as leader of Syria in late January. Mr Al Shara's Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), an organisation that traces its origins to Al Qaeda, took over the state after leading an offensive that toppled former president Bashar Al Assad. On Saturday, Mr Al Shara told a cabinet meeting that the authorities aim to lift restrictions imposed by the former regime on repatriation of profits, so as to attract foreign investment. He mentioned the potential for neighbouring counties taking on infrastructure projects, as local companies, he said, do not have the capital. Mr Al Shara said that there is "big appetite" to invest in airports, energy, tourism, oil, minerals, free zones, ports, railways real estate and transport sectors. Two weeks ago, Mr Al Shara met a Kuwaiti business delegation headed by Bader Al Kharafi, chief of one of the largest Arab conglomerates, Zain Group. However, no specific investments were announced. Business deals The government has signed three major concessions since the removal of the former regime. Two have been for the Latakia and Tartous ports, which French shipping company CMA CGM, and with DP World of the UAE. The third was with Qatar 's UCC to add electricity generation capacity. Syria needs an estimated $500 billion in new infrastructure after the 2011 to 2014 civil war, although violence and sectarian killings have continued across the country. Turkey's Deniz Bank, which is fully owned by Emirates NBD, expects more financing opportunities to support Syria's reconstruction. Saudi Arabia and Qatar said on the weekend that they will finance government salaries for the next three months. The move was made possible by removal of US sanctions this month. The EU followed suit and decided to remove its own sanctions on Syria's economy. Meanwhile, Dubai airline flydubai resumed flights to Damascus on Sunday after a 12-year hiatus due to the civil war. Riyadh, as well as Turkey, played a main role in the lifting of US sanctions on Syria this month, in a major development that ushered normalisation between Washington and Damascus. President Donald Trump shortly afterwards met Mr Al Shara in Riyadh. American officials have said one of the main reasons for the decision to lift the sanctions was the desire to improve living conditions quickly enough to prevent another civil war.
