Syrias integration of armed factions poses significant ongoing challenge

Syria’s Transitional Authority Faces Challenges in Demilitarizing Society

The post-war state building project in Syria is centered around demilitarizing society and reunifying the country. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, hundreds of thousands of citizens were still bearing arms, with various armed factions operating across the country. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and other groups, including ISIS and al-Qaeda, had proliferated during the nearly 14-year conflict.

The transitional authority has struggled to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate these groups while establishing new armed forces and a reformed security sector. A recent surge in violence between government forces and the SDF in Aleppo highlighted the challenges of resolving the integration challenge.

As part of the transition process, the al-Assad regime’s armed forces were dissolved, and a status settlement was initiated, allowing soldiers to register and apply for release or re-enlistment. Thousands of men participated in this process, while others abstained, particularly in coastal regions dominated by the Alawite minority.

Some former regime personnel have joined Syria’s new security forces, but fighting persists due to financial support from prominent ex-regime figures in exile. This has complicated the country’s ability to heal ties with Lebanon and Russia, as well as its geopolitical standing in the region.

The transitional government is rebuilding the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI), establishing new armed forces and security directorates. The MOD has become the umbrella for opposition armed factions, which have largely dissolved but remain in form, constituting the army’s nearly 20 divisions.

Some factions with ties to Turkiye have benefited from greater military support and arms supplies, while others have leaders with controversial pasts. The transitional authority faces significant challenges in establishing a stable security sector, particularly given the ministry’s shortcomings in terms of discipline, cohesion, and command and control.

Source: Al Jazeera