During a January 29, 2025 speech, Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Syria’s transitional government, announced the formal integration of the factions into the Ministry of Defense, including former and current SNA battalions. He also dissolved all political parties connected to the regime of the toppled President Bashar al-Assad and declared himself president of the country’s ongoing transitional phase, a move of which Syrians appear largely supportive — if cautiously so. Of all the challenges currently facing postwar Syria, the integration of the country’s numerous and diverse armed factions into a single, disciplined postrevolutionary national army is among the greatest. Al-Sharaa, who dropped his former nom de guerre of Jolani, has so far succeeded in dissolving the Turkish-backed factions in the northern parts of Syria and turning many of his former adversaries into allies.

Read the full article here.