Syria’s new leaders have reportedly given positions in the new army to several foreign nationals who fought with jihadist groups against President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian Civil War, Reuters reports.
Of the nearly 50 appointments made by the Ministry of Defence, at least six are said to have gone to foreigners, including a Turk, a Jordanian, an Albanian, and several Uyghurs.
Some of these foreigners have reportedly been given high-ranking positions such as colonel, raising alarm abroad.
For example, an Albanian, Abdul Jashari, known as Abu Qatada al-Albani, is on a US terrorist list.
The Syrian population is also reported to be increasingly concerned about the influence of extremists within the new administration.
However, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim leader of the rebel movement HTS, has consistently claimed that the new regime will be tolerant towards the country’s numerous minorities.
Meanwhile, it has not been ruled out that foreign fighters and their families may be granted the right to become Syrian citizens and reside in the country.
While there is a list of appointments, Reuters said it could not verify the nationalities.
