AhlulBayt News Agency: The United States has approved Syria’s plan to integrate thousands of foreign Takfiri militants into its new military, following the HTS-led administration’s willingness to normalize ties with Israel.
According to a report by Reuters, three Syrian military officials stated that under the new administration’s plan, approximately 3,500 foreign militants—who previously fought alongside the Syrian opposition against former President Bashar al-Assad—would be incorporated into a newly formed unit called the 84th Syrian Army Division.
When asked whether Washington had approved the move, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, responded, “I would say there is an understanding, with transparency”. He argued that keeping the militants within a state project was preferable to excluding them.
Washington had previously opposed the plan, but its stance shifted dramatically after Trump met with Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the head of the HTS-led administration in Syria, during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May. During this trip, Trump announced that all US sanctions on Syria would be lifted.
The report highlights that thousands of foreign Takfiri militants fought against Assad’s government during the 13-year conflict. Some militants formed independent groups, while others joined established organizations such as Daesh.
Jolani has stated that foreign militants and their families may be granted Syrian citizenship due to their role in fighting the former government.
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a former senior commander in both al-Qaeda and Daesh, is now the de facto president of Syria.
In December, armed groups led by HTS militants announced that they had fully captured Damascus, marking the fall of Assad’s government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently described how the Israeli military assisted HTS in taking control of Syria in December.
The security situation in Syria under HTS—an offshoot of the al-Qaeda terrorist group—remains unstable. Reports indicate that sectarian violence, including the massacre of hundreds of Alawites in March, has heightened fears among minority groups regarding the dominance of militant factions.
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