The new de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Shara, reached an agreement on Tuesday with the heads of the rebel factions, under which these organizations were dissolved and their fighters will be subordinated to the Ministry of Defense, Reuters reported, citing a statement by the new government in Damascus.
In December, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, Ahmed al-Shara, announced that the factions that participated in the rebellion against the regime of Bashar al-Assad would be disbanded and their fighters would join the ranks of the new army after undergoing training.
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Syrian Prime Minister Mohamed al-Bashir said last week that the defense ministry would undergo a restructuring that would include fighters and officers of Assad's army who have deserted.
Syrian rebels on the streets of DamascusHASAN BELAL/EPA/PAP
Mission: unite Syria
As Reuters noted, Szara's challenge is unification Syriawhich is divided into numerous ethnic and religious groups, and in part of its territory there are still fighting between those supported by Turkey militias and Kurds.
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The rebels elected Murhaf Abu Kasra as defense minister in the interim government. Kasra was one of the leaders of the movement that led to the overthrow of the regime.
The end of the Assad regime
On Sunday, December 8, Syrian rebels overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, who had maintained his power in recent years largely thanks to the help of Russia and Iran. The leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) organization, Ahmed al-Shara, also known under his military pseudonym Abu Muhamad al-Jaulan, controls the interim government in Damascus.
Portrait of deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in an abandoned office in DamascusPAP/EPA/ANTONIO PEDRO SANTOS
Main photo source: HASAN BELAL/EPA/PAP