Foreign fighters are getting top army posts, reports say

The new Syrian government has reportedly given some foreign Islamist fighters top positions in the country’s armed forces.

The army is being reorganized by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – the Islamist group that now effectively rules the country – after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.

There has been no confirmation from the new leadership about the move, but it seems likely to raise concerns inside and outside Syria about the role such foreign fighters could play in the country’s future.

Their presence in Syria during the 13-year civil war helped make the conflict even more violent and brutal.

Jihadists from abroad were seen as trying to impose their extremist ideology on Syria – something Syrians of all communities now say they will not accept in the country’s post-Assad future.

Several Syrian sources concluded that of the nearly 50 new military positions that were announced, at least six went to foreigners.

Based on the names that have been released, they are said to include Chinese Uighurs, Jordanian and Turkish nationals. All are said to have been given high-ranking posts such as colonels or brigadier generals.

The role of foreign fighters in various armed groups during the civil war is one that is causing strong feelings in Syria.

Thousands of fighters from many different countries joined the uprising against Assad as it turned into an all-out armed conflict as mass protests were met with violence by security forces.

Some formed their own groups, while others provided the core of the Islamic State (IS) group, which has taken control of large regions in eastern Syria.

Opponents of HTS have long accused it of being largely made up of foreign jihadists, a charge used by Assad’s supporters to try to delegitimize the group as it mounts its latest, decisive offensive against the regime.

But during the years he ran the rebel enclave of Idlib, Ahmed al-Sharaa — the leader of HTS and now Syria — got rid of some of those foreign fighters in an effort to bolster his group’s image as a nationalist rather than an overtly jihadist force.

Al-Sharaa’s message since taking power has repeatedly emphasized the vision of a unified Syrian state in which all communities must be respected and have a stake.

For those worried that his actions may not match his words, this apparent move to formalize the positions of some prominent foreign fighters may give them second thoughts.

The appointments appear to have been made to reward those fighters – whether from Syria or elsewhere – who played a significant role in the eventual triumph over the regime.

For the same reason, some of the remaining foreign fighters – along with their families – seem likely to be granted Syrian citizenship.

The issue is just one of many that could complicate any successful transition to a new political and social framework in Syria.

The new authorities attach great importance to a Conference for National Dialogue, which is being prepared to bring together representatives from all walks of life – although no date has been set.

It is hoped that the conference will kick-start the process of rebuilding the institutions of the broken and divided country.