{"id":39371,"date":"2025-08-24T16:56:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T16:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/?p=39371"},"modified":"2025-08-24T16:56:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T16:56:25","slug":"can-syria-end-the-factionalism-inside-its-army","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/24\/08\/2025\/can-syria-end-the-factionalism-inside-its-army\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Syria End the Factionalism Inside Its Army?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of May, Syria\u2019s Ministry of Defense announced that all armed factions had been merged into the new Syrian Army. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said the ministry had met with around 130 different groups to discuss a new military structure, claiming the process had been a \u201cmajor success\u201d in building a professional army with a clear doctrine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, despite these official statements, reports suggest factionalism persists inside the ministry itself, reflected in events across areas such as the western coastal region and Suwayda in the south, where certain groups have been accused of misconduct. This raises doubts over how realistic the project of building a truly national army is, given the many obstacles ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a televised statement, the defence minister insisted that \u201cno weapons will remain outside the authority of the state, because that does not help achieve stability.\u201d He added that the ministry was working on a gradual transition from a revolutionary army to an institutional one. Strict criteria were introduced for joining the army, physical fitness, good conduct, and educational qualifications, with plans to open recruitment to the military academy after secondary school results are released. He stressed the army would be voluntary, not compulsory, so that only \u201cloyal and committed soldiers\u201d would enlist.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Rebuilding the Military Institution<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad\u2019s regime, rebuilding Syria\u2019s military on a national, non-sectarian basis has become a central issue. Such a step is seen as crucial for restoring security and controlling the spread of weapons. Yet with dozens of armed factions tied to foreign sponsors or ideological movements, the task is far from simple; especially given the failures of similar experiments in Libya, Sudan, and Yemen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the groups that declared their integration during the \u201cVictory Conference\u201d in March were:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factions from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, including the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hamzat Division<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amshat<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Groups within the National Liberation Front, such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faylaq al-Sham<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ahrar al-Sham<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jaysh al-Ahrar<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jaysh al-Izza<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Syrian Free Army, backed by the U.S.-led coalition and operating along the Syria\u2013Iraq\u2013Jordan triangle.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These groups have since begun deploying to new positions across Syria, from the north through the centre to Damascus and its countryside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, some of these factions, particularly the Hamzat and Amshat, have been accused of rights violations during the war, especially in northern Syria. Many of their commanders are under Western sanctions. Critics say their undisciplined behaviour was visible during unrest in the Syrian coast in March, underscoring the urgent need for careful restructuring if the merged army is to meet international standards of professionalism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Read also: <a href=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/23\/08\/2025\/rebuilding-or-rebranding-the-illusion-of-syrias-new-army\/#\">Rebuilding or Rebranding? The Illusion of Syria\u2019s \u201cNew Army\u201d<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>A Limited but Lingering Factionalism<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Military expert Tariq Haj Bakri, based in Latakia, argues that \u201cthe factional state within the Syrian Army has become very limited after the creation of new divisions, brigades, battalions, and companies.\u201d He says these are now being reorganized into proper hierarchical formations based on established military rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMost factions have already merged, and their fighters redistributed,\u201d Haj Bakri told <\/span><b>+963<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cBut completely ending factionalism will take time. Steps are underway to reintegrate defected officers, revive military colleges on land, sea, and air, and ensure qualified officers lead the process. Only then can Syria build a truly national army whose mission is protecting the country without interfering in civilian life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>A Fragile Alliance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Syrian lawyer Bassam Al-Aisami, based in Austria, sees the situation differently. He describes the army as \u201ca fragile alliance of factions that lack a genuine state mindset.\u201d In his view, the merger announced by the Ministry of Defense is \u201cpaper unity, not a real one,\u201d since each faction still follows its own commanders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis is why we continue to see tensions and disputes over power-sharing,\u201d Al-Aisami said. He believes the Syrian leadership is trying to cement its rule through authoritarian methods rather than by building a pluralistic state, deepening social divisions instead of healing them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Analysts warn that many factions fear losing influence and hard-won gains from the past decade. Old rivalries and mistrust remain, and without guarantees, groups worry that disarmament could empower competitors. Some agreed to join the ministry only to secure political or military leverage inside the new institution, raising the risk that the merger could become another arena for factional competition, rather than a path toward national unity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Read also: <a href=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/23\/08\/2025\/can-syria-build-a-cross-sectarian-army\/#\">Can Syria Build a Cross-Sectarian Army?<\/a><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Suwayda, SDF, and the Road Ahead<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factionalism is not limited to the north. In Suwayda, several local groups remain outside the new military structure. Among them are Men of Dignity, Al-Jabal Brigade, Ahrar Jabal al-Arab, and the Suwayda Military Council, alongside smaller factions such as Sheikh al-Karama and Quwat al-Ulya. Many of these groups trace their origins to the anti-Assad era and still answer to local Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S.-led coalition, control much of northeastern Syria. The SDF has insisted on joining the army as a single, intact bloc. This demand was included in the March 10 agreement signed between its commander Mazloum Abdi and transitional president Ahmad Al-Sharaa, which outlines the framework for integrating the SDF into the Syrian state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For now, the process of merging Syria\u2019s fragmented factions into a unified national army remains fragile and incomplete. Some steps have been taken, but lingering loyalties to ideology, region, or sect continue to obstruct progress. Experts agree that the Ministry of Defense must do more than announce mergers on paper. It must design a serious roadmap that prioritizes professionalism, inclusivity, and national identity, free from factional, sectarian, or foreign influence. Only then can Syria build the cohesive military institution it desperately needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the end of May, Syria\u2019s Ministry of Defense announced that all armed factions had been merged into the new Syrian Army. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said the ministry had met with around 130 different groups to discuss a new military structure, claiming the process had been a \u201cmajor success\u201d in building a professional [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":39372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"0","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"left-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"float","share_float_style":"share-normal","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"g:i a d\/m\/Y","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"5","zoom_button_in_step":"4","show_post_tag":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Dozens of factions with different agendas remain active despite official claims of unification"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":""},"categories":[382,19],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[400],"class_list":["post-39371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions","category-slider"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Can Syria End the Factionalism Inside Its Army? - 963+<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Syria faces challenges in uniting rival factions into a national army. 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