In a historic development for Syria, rebel groups that long opposed the regime of Bashar al-Assad have agreed to disband and integrate under the nation's Defense Ministry, the transitional government announced on Tuesday. This move comes after the December 8 ousting of Assad, which ended decades of rule by his family and marked a turning point in the country's 13-year civil war.
The agreement was finalized during a meeting between Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's new de facto leader and head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and leaders of various rebel factions. The transitional government stated that all armed groups would be brought under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), however, are not part of this agreement.
The integration of former rebel factions represents a significant step toward establishing centralized control in a country fractured by years of war. Murhaf Abu Qasra, a prominent figure in the rebellion against Assad and a former leader within HTS, has been appointed defense minister in the interim administration. This restructuring also includes officers who defected from Assad's military.
"This is perhaps the most important development since the fall of the Assad regime," Al Jazeera reported. The challenge of uniting heavily armed groups that previously fought on opposing fronts has loomed large over the transitional government.
Syria's leadership faces numerous obstacles in ensuring cohesion among these groups. Tensions persist in northern Syria, where ongoing conflict between Turkish-backed forces and the Kurdish-led SDF highlights the fragile state of the nation. On Tuesday, a car bomb in the city of Manbij killed two people and injured four, according to the White Helmets, a Syrian civil defense organization.
Al-Sharaa, who rose to power following HTS's sweeping offensive in Damascus earlier this month, has promised to place all weapons in the country under state control, including those held by Kurdish-led forces. In comments to Western officials, he emphasized that the new government would not seek revenge against former regime members or repress any religious minorities. Instead, his administration has prioritized reconstruction and economic recovery.
In a related development, Qatar has reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 13-year hiatus, signaling a shift in regional dynamics. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari called for the immediate lifting of international sanctions on Syria, stating that "what led to these sanctions is no longer there."
Despite these strides, the road ahead remains fraught with challenges. The SDF, backed by the United States, remains outside the transitional government's framework, and its ongoing clashes with Turkish-backed forces underscore the continued instability in northern Syria.
Syria's transitional government, installed after Assad's fall, has pledged to create a unified military and address humanitarian concerns. The civil war, which began in 2011 after widespread protests against Assad's regime, has displaced over 14 million people and driven more than 3.2 million into neighboring countries, according to the United Nations.
