West warns Syria's Islamist rulers over foreign jihadists in army

PARIS,— U.S., French, and German diplomats have warned Syria’s new Islamist leadership that appointing foreign jihadists to key military positions poses security risks and damages their efforts to build international relationships, sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.

The warning came during a meeting between U.S. envoy Daniel Rubinstein and Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, on Wednesday at the presidential palace in Damascus, according to a U.S. official. The official said these appointments won’t improve their reputation in the U.S.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also raised concerns about the issue during their meeting with Sharaa on January 3, an official familiar with the talks told Reuters.

The foreign ministers’ concerns follow a Reuters report from December 30, 2024, which revealed that Sharaa’s armed Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), had made nearly 50 military appointments, including six foreign fighters. Among them were individuals from China, Central Asia, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan.

At least three were appointed to the rank of brigadier-general, and three others to the rank of colonel, a Syrian military source said.

HTS, which ousted former President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, has been reorganizing the Syrian military, and officials in the new administration have justified their appointments by arguing that these foreign fighters played a key role in toppling Assad and should be integrated into Syrian society. Some foreign fighters could even be granted citizenship.

The appointment of foreign jihadists, however, raises alarm in many foreign capitals, as they believe some of these individuals could pose a security threat, potentially plotting attacks in their home countries after gaining experience in Syria. U.S. and European officials have warned against sending signals that might encourage transnational jihadists.

The Syrian government has defended the appointments by arguing that it would not be practical or safe to send these foreign fighters back to their home countries, where they could face persecution.

Officials added that many of these fighters had been in Syria for years and were now considered part of the local society.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated that Washington is maintaining a dialogue with Syria’s interim leadership and that the discussions have been “constructive.” They also mentioned “tangible progress on counterterrorism priorities, including ISIS.”

Despite these efforts to engage the new Syrian administration, Western and Arab countries remain cautious. They are concerned about how the country’s new leadership will unite its diverse factions and manage the complexities of rebuilding Syria.

Mahmoud Fathi with Mohammad al-Golani and Yasin Aktay — Mahmoud Fathi (right), an Islamist from the Muslim Brotherhood sentenced to death in Egypt, stands alongside Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader and current Syrian ruler Ahmed al-Shara (Abu Mohammad al-Golani) (center) and Yasin Aktay, a senior advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Damascus, Syria, following the fall of Assad’s regime in December 2024. Photo: SM

Analysts, including Aaron Zelin of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, noted that Syria’s new rulers are trying to balance the competing demands of various factions, including foreign fighters, and the international community.

Zelin described the rationale for the foreign fighter appointments as a “middle path” to integrate them into Syrian society while mitigating risks. However, he cautioned that these moves still present potential security concerns both domestically and internationally.

Both Egypt and Jordan, as well as other foreign powers, continue to scrutinize the new Syrian leadership’s approach, concerned that the appointments could provide a foothold for transnational jihadist movements.

The international community remains divided on how best to handle Syria’s changing political landscape, as the country struggles to rebuild from years of conflict.

(With files from Reuters)