Syria’s new leaders have reportedly given some foreign Islamist fighters high-ranking positions in the country’s armed forces.
The army is being reorganized by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – the Islamist group that now effectively rules the country – following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
While there has been no confirmation of the move by the new leadership, it is likely to raise concerns inside and outside Syria about the role radicalized foreign militants could play in the country’s future.
Several Syrian sources concluded that of the nearly 50 new military roles announced, at least six went to foreigners.
Based on the names that have been released, they are said to include Chinese Uighurs, a Jordanian and a Turkish national. All of them allegedly received high positions as colonels or brigadier generals.
The role of foreign fighters in various armed groups during the civil war is one that evokes strong feelings in Syria.
Thousands of fighters from many different countries joined the uprising against Assad as it became an all-out armed conflict when mass protests were met with violence by security forces.
Some formed their own groups, while others formed the core of the Islamic State group, which has taken control of large regions in eastern Syria.
Opponents of HTS have long accused it of being made up mostly of foreign jihadists — a charge Assad supporters have used to try to delegitimize the group as it mounts its latest, determined offensive against the regime.
But in the years leading the rebel enclave in Idlib, Ahmed al-Sharaa — the leader of HTS and now Syria — got rid of some of those foreign fighters in an attempt to bolster his group’s credibility as a nationalist rather than an overtly jihadist force.
Al-Shara’s message since taking power has repeatedly emphasized the vision of a unified Syrian state, in which all communities must be respected and have a stake.
For those concerned that his actions may not match his words, this apparent move to formalize the positions of some prominent foreign fighters may give further pause for thought.
The appointments appear to have been made to reward those fighters – whether from Syria or elsewhere – who played a significant role in the eventual victory over the regime.
For the same reason, some of the remaining foreign fighters – along with their families – now seem likely to be granted Syrian citizenship.
This issue is only one of many that could complicate a successful transition to a new political and social framework in Syria.
The new authorities attach great importance to the National Dialogue Conference, which is being prepared to bring together representatives from all parts of society – although the date has not been set.
We hope that the conference will start the process of rebuilding the institutions of the broken and divided country.
