Syrian armed groups have consented to disband voluntarily and integrate into the nation’s newly established defense ministry, as reported by the SANA news agency. The news agency indicated that this agreement was finalized during a meeting between Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, also referred to as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, and the commanders of the armed groups that opposed the military forces under Bashar Assad’s control.
Al-Sharaa stated on December 22 that armed factions would only be permitted to operate in Syria under the auspices of the defense ministry. He noted that the majority of these factions’ commanders had agreed to this stipulation even prior to the military campaign against Assad.
The newly appointed Syrian leader emphasized at that time that the new government would not permit the unchecked trafficking of weapons within the nation. It was reported the day before that Mourhaf Abu Qasra, commonly referred to by his nickname Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, a member of the primary military operations command that coordinated various opposition forces responsible for the ousting of former President Bashar Assad, had been designated as Syria’s defense minister in the interim government.