Syrian Defense Minister meets with armed factions for integration
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Syria's Defense Minister meets with the heads of different armed factions in the country with the aim of integrating them into the Syrian Armed Forces.
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Members of the new security forces take part in an operation to detain men suspected of being part of militias or Syrian Arab Army soldiers in Homs, Syria, Friday, January 3, 2025 (AP)
Syria’s transitional government is advancing efforts to restructure the nation’s armed forces. Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said Monday that discussions with military factions were underway to integrate them into the Ministry of Defense.
In remarks reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Abu Qasra said, "Following directives from the General Command to reorganize the Syrian Arab Army, we have begun sessions with military factions to develop a roadmap for stabilizing the organizational structure of the armed forces."
This comes after Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria's new administration, held a key meeting in December with commanders of opposition armed groups. The meeting resulted in a landmark agreement to dissolve all Syrian factions and merge them under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense.
Al-Sharaa also urged the international community to lift economic sanctions on Syria, emphasizing that the dissolution of armed factions is imminent and that no weapons outside state control would be tolerated.
Families of missing Syrian soldiers rally in Damascus
Meanwhile, families of former Syrian Army soldiers gathered in the iconic Umayyad Square in Damascus, demanding the disclosure of their loved ones' fate and their release from prisons in Idlib, Hama, and Adra.
The number of missing soldiers is estimated at around 9,000. These soldiers reportedly surrendered to a military operations command center nearly 20 days ago, yet their fate remains unknown.
Meanwhile, SANA reported that the Director of Public Security in Syria's new administration in Homs announced the completion of a security sweep in the city's neighborhoods. The campaign, aimed at restoring stability, resulted in the detention of several people. Those found guilty of crimes were referred to the judiciary, while others were released. Investigations are ongoing for some detainees.
The new administration has also condemned acts of extrajudicial revenge, which has been rampant in recent weeks, emphasizing accountability for those involved in such incidents. Authorities have urged Homs residents to report any violations committed during security operations, including damage to property, assuring citizens that their grievances would be addressed, and justice would be served.
900 soldiers missing
Over 900 individuals have reportedly been detained and taken to undisclosed locations, with their fate completely unknown, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Sunday, noting that the treatment of detainees in Homs contrasts with the more lenient approach seen in other regions.
Prior to that, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the detention of 500 individuals from villages in the eastern Homs countryside during a security operation launched by the Military Operations Administration and the Ministry of Interior.
Among the detainees are officers and personnel who had reconciled with the new administration and obtained identification cards for follow-up. Reports indicate that some detainees faced violations during arrests, including instances of torture while being transported to security centers, according to our correspondent.
The operation initially targeted villages such as Jib al-Jarrah, Maksar al-Hisan, and Mukharram al-Fuqani, before expanding to other areas, including Sanqari, al-Masoudiya, and Abu Hafka.
