Syria disbands rebel groups as al-Sharaa consolidates power

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Syrian rebel groups have agreed to disband and become part of the interim government’s security forces as the new administration rushes to consolidate power within restructured institutions.

The new government’s commander-in-chief Ahmed al-Sharaa – the former head of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who previously used the name Abu Mohammed al-Jolani – announced the agreement on Tuesday after a meeting and heads of inclusive groups. The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and parties in northeastern and southern Syria.

The government said the meeting resulted in an “agreement to disband all groups and bring them together under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defence”.

The Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian army was out of action as it clashed with Turkish-backed rebels in the northeast after the collapse of the first Washington-brokered ceasefire there.

The interim government agreement was reached just two weeks after the fall of former dictator Bashar al-Assad following a heavy-handed attack by HTS-led rebels following 13 years of brutal civil war. It comes as al-Sharaa seeks to consolidate power over a fractured country.

He faces a difficult task. His group, HTS, has developed its forces through military academies and training, rather than integrated rebel groups.

Security is a key issue for the new administration, which faces challenges including conflict between Turkish-backed rebels and the SDF; the threat of the resurgence of Isis, HTS’s long-time enemies who were not part of Tuesday’s deal; and the possibility of loyalists to the deposed regime regrouping after Assad disbanded his army before fleeing the country.

The government of Sharaa unites institutions such as the police, the army and the security forces. Two weeks ago, it opened applications for police work and “residence centers” for former soldiers of the regime.

It is trying hard to maintain security across the country by deploying security personnel and police from its base in Idlib, the northwestern corner of Syria that has been under HTS control for years.

Concerns about security increased this week, especially as unconfirmed reports spread of revenge killings in small towns and robberies on highways across the country.

On Monday, in the northwestern Christian town of al-Suqaylabiyah, a large round Christmas tree was set on fire by unknown assailants, sparking panic among the minority Christians in Syria are being attacked by hard-line Islamic groups.

A photo shared on social media showed an HTS member standing with two priests assuring the crowd in al-Suqaylabiyah that the tree would be repaired before dawn.

Hundreds of people protested the act of vandalism across Syria on Tuesday. Protesters in Bab Touma, Damascus, were seen carrying crosses walking through the streets. Elsewhere in Damascus, people were shopping at a huge open-air Christmas market.

Incidents such as the burning of the Christmas tree have so far been described as isolated cases by the new leadership, which has sought to present itself as a moderate system for all Syrians regardless of their Islamic faith and roots of jihadism.

But minority groups fear being marginalized and attacked, having enjoyed some protection under Assad despite the widespread repression that characterized his rule.