Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa announced Tuesday that an agreement had been reached with former rebel faction chiefs to dissolve all armed groups and consolidate them under the Defense Ministry. The move is a significant step toward restructuring the nation’s military following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime earlier this month.
Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir indicated last week that the Defense Ministry would integrate former rebel factions and officers who defected from Assad’s army. The new administration has appointed Murhaf Abu Qasra, a prominent figure in the insurgency, as interim defense minister.
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Sharaa, who leads the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has pledged not to seek revenge against the former regime or target Syria’s ethnic and religious minorities. These include Muslim Kurds, Shi’ites, Christians, and Druze communities, many of whom feared Sunni Islamist rule during the civil war.
Syria’s new rulers face the challenging task of preventing clashes between the numerous factions as they work toward a unified military structure. The decision to consolidate the groups marks a critical step in stabilizing the country following years of civil war.