Description: US Ambassador to Turkey, and the new Syrian special envoy, Thomas Barrack has stated that the US gave Syria the final approval to integrate foreign fighters and other jihadi members in the formation of its new army. Around 3,500 fighters in question that were mostly Uyghurs from China and other countries that border Syria would be integrated into the new 84th Syrian army division. The approval comes amid rising concerns that militant fractions and other fighters within Syria might be recruited from terrorist organizations that are operationally omnipresent in the country such as Al Qaeda or the Islamic State. The move comes after several regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey with the support of the US announced the lifting of sanctions, restatement of diplomatic relations and new foreign investments in Syria.
Impact: Syria’s decision to integrate the fractioned militant groups into the formation of its new national army represents a strategically sound and mature decision, however, also bores significant risks as the checkered allegiances of the various groups could compromise the Syrian army from within. By flocking the militants under a government rule, Syria would attempt to conceptualize a firm internal consolidation of power on the start of the country’s socio – economic restructuring from the ravaging civil war. The integration of the militant groups would also allow regional players such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia and even the US a backdoor of influence in the internal security dealings of the future national establishment.