In a significant development, former Syrian regime security forces have been voluntarily handing in their weapons to the rebel-linked transitional government in the southern Syrian city of Latakia. Video footage captured by Agence France-Presse shows men dressed in plain clothes waiting in long lines to surrender their personal firearms to officials from the new Syrian government's Ministry of Interior. The officials are seen conducting informal interviews and taking mugshots of the individuals as they turn in their weapons, with hundreds of handguns and ammunition piled up in the government office.
The new leadership in Syria, led by the group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), is actively working towards a peaceful transfer of power and seeking international legitimacy. Mohammad Al-Bashir, a Syrian rebel-linked government leader, has been appointed as the caretaker prime minister for the next three months to oversee the country's transition to a new government.
Ministers from the former HTS-linked Salvation Government and Assad-era civil servants will continue to serve in the caretaker government until March 1, 2025, as announced by Al-Bashir. Meanwhile, HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, now known as Ahmad al-Sharaa, emphasized that Syria poses no threat to the world and called for the lifting of international sanctions in a recent interview.
Jolani also addressed concerns about the new government replicating the Taliban's model in Afghanistan, highlighting the cultural differences between the two countries and emphasizing respect for Syrian culture. He expressed support for women's education and stressed the importance of inclusive dialogues and representation for all segments of society.
The international community, including the US, the European Union, the UK, Qatar, and Turkey, has engaged with the rebel groups governing Syria. Reports indicate that other cities in Syria, such as Daraa, have implemented similar programs for the return of weapons.
Upon surrendering their firearms, former Syrian regime forces receive a temporary card allowing them to move freely in Syria's liberated areas while their legal proceedings are underway. The notice posted outside the government office did not provide specific details about these legal procedures.
The Assad regime and its forces have been implicated in numerous atrocities, including the use of chemical weapons in rebel-held areas, resulting in the deaths of civilians. The civil war in Syria, which began in 2011, has claimed the lives of over 306,000 civilians as per the latest estimates by the UN Human Rights Council.
