Syria’s rebel factions have agreed to disband and become part of the interim government’s defence ministry as the new administration rushes to consolidate power within revamped government institutions.
The new administration’s commander-in-chief Ahmed al-Sharaa — former head of Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who previously used his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani — announced the agreement on Tuesday after meeting the heads of groups including the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and factions in the north-east and south of Syria.
The government said the meeting resulted “in an agreement to dissolve all factions and merge them under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defence”.