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Conflict in Syria

Syria’s armed groups agree to become part of defense ministry

It was reported a day prior that Mourhaf Abu Qasra, also known by his nikname Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, a member of the main military operations command uniting various opposition forces, which had ousted former President Bashar Assad, was appointed Syria’s defense minister in the interim government

CAIRO, December 24. /TASS/. Syrian armed groups have agreed to dissolve voluntarily and become part of the country’s new defense ministry, the SANA news agency said.

According to the news agency, the relevant agreement was reached during a meeting between Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, with commanders of armed groups that fought against armed forces controlled by Bashar Assad.

Al-Sharaa said on December 22 that armed groups would be allowed to exist in Syria only as part of the defense ministry. He said that most of the groups’ commanders had accepted this condition even before the military operation against Assad. The new Syrian leader stressed back then that the country’s new authorities would not tolerate uncontrolled weapons trafficking in the country.

It was reported a day prior that Mourhaf Abu Qasra, also known by his nikname Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, a member of the main military operations command uniting various opposition forces, which had ousted former President Bashar Assad, was appointed Syria’s defense minister in the interim government.

Armed opposition units in Syria launched a large-scale offensive on government troops in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates in late November. On December 8, they entered Damascus, while President Bashar Assad stepped down and fled the country. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the so-called Syrian Salvation Government in the Idlib governorate, announced his appointment as head of Syria’s interim government, saying that the transitional period will last until March 1, 2025.

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Syrian conflict

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