VerySyria’s new leaders are stated to have given some overseas Islamic fighters high-level positions within the nation’s armed forces.
The military was reorganized by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – the Islamist group that’s now successfully in control of the nation – following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
While there was no affirmation of the transfer from the brand new management, it’s more likely to spark issues inside and out of doors Syria in regards to the function radicalized overseas militants may play within the nation’s future.
Several Syrian sources deduced that of the almost 50 new navy posts introduced, at the least six went to foreigners.
Based on printed names, there are stated to be Chinese Uyghurs, a Jordanian and a Turkish citizen. All are stated to have been given high-ranking positions resembling colonels or brigadier generals.
The function of overseas fighters in numerous armed teams through the civil battle arouses robust emotions in Syria.
Thousands of fighters from many various nations joined the rebellion towards Assad which turned an all-out armed battle when mass protests had been met with violence from safety forces.
Some fashioned their very own teams whereas others fashioned the core of the Islamic State group, which took management of enormous areas in jap Syria.
HTS’s opponents had lengthy accused it of being largely made up of overseas jihadists, a cost utilized by Assad’s supporters to attempt to delegitimize the group because it launched its last and decisive offensive towards the regime.
But in his years working the insurgent enclave in Idlib, Ahmed al-Sharaa – chief of HTS and now Syria – had gotten rid of a few of these overseas fighters in an try and bolster his group’s credentials as nationalist quite than overtly so. jihadist power.
Al-Sharaa’s message since taking energy has repeatedly emphasised the imaginative and prescient of a unified Syrian state, during which all communities should be revered and have a stake.
For those that worry his actions might not match his phrases, this obvious transfer to formalize the positions of some key overseas fighters might give them additional pause for thought.
It seems that the appointments had been made to reward these fighters – from Syria or different nations – who performed a big function within the last conquer the regime.
By the identical token, it now seems probably that a number of the remaining overseas fighters – together with their households – will likely be granted Syrian citizenship.
The situation is only one of many that might complicate any profitable transition to a brand new political and social framework in Syria.
The new authorities are banking closely on a nationwide dialogue convention that’s being ready and can convey collectively representatives from all sectors of society – though no date has been set.
The hope is that the convention will set in movement the method of rebuilding the establishments of a destroyed and divided nation.
