Syria sets deadline for armed groups to join state forces

DAMASCUS,— Syria’s transitional defense leadership has given independent armed groups a 10-day window to join the country’s formal military system, officials said on Saturday, as efforts continue to unify armed factions following the departure of Bashar al-Assad.

Murhaf Abu Qasra, the interim defense minister, said most major forces had already merged with the ministry under Syria’s new leadership. He called on smaller remaining units to align within the next ten days or face potential legal steps.

“The unification process requires that all military elements come under the Defense Ministry,” the ministry’s statement read. “Noncompliance within 10 days will trigger appropriate action in accordance with the law.”

The statement did not identify which specific groups had yet to integrate or the measures that might be taken.

Syria’s new administration, led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, assumed power following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The new Islamist leadership dismantled the former army and disbanded several armed groups, including Sharaa’s own faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which had spearheaded the offensive against the Assad government.

HTS and other factions that agreed to dissolve were incorporated into the defense structure. A new police force, General Security, has also begun recruitment to form a state-wide security apparatus.

Factions based in Daraa in the south, mercenary Islamist groups aligned with Turkey in the north, and various Islamist formations have reportedly joined the unified force. These groups remain in their zones of control but are now officially linked to the state.

HTS maintains significant influence in areas like Idlib and the capital Damascus. Though the group cut ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016, it continues to be listed as a terrorist organization by several Western countries.

The transitional government faces ongoing challenges in asserting full territorial control, partly due to fragmented loyalties and unresolved security arrangements.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said that further delays in carrying out a March deal with Kurdish-led forces in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) in the northeast of the country could destabilize the country.

The agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is aimed at merging their administrative and military systems into the national framework before the end of the year.

(With files from AFP)