The new Syrian authorities in Damascus announced Tuesday, December 24, an agreement with “ all armed groups » for their dissolution, specifying that they were going to be integrated into the Ministry of Defense. This agreement, however, does not concern the powerful Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), dominated by the Kurds, supported by the United States, and which control vast territories in the northeast of the country. Our special correspondents Julien Boileau and Oriane Verdier met the leader of the Damascus rebel coalition.
2 mins
From our special correspondents in Damascus
Julien Boileau And Oriane Verdier were able to exchange this December 24 with the leader of the coalition of rebels in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Ali Abdulbaqi received them in the offices of an old warehouse deep in Ghouta. Former leader of Jaysh al-Islam, the main rebel faction in this suburb of Damascus, he now leads a coalition of armed groups from the province surrounding the capital.
“ By joining the Northern Operations Chamber, we all agreed to abandon our respective flags, both ours and theirs. The next step is therefore to see the realization of our agreement to bring us all together under the authority of the next Ministry of Defense. We already have our weapons, we just want to transfer them under a just and single authority to protect Syria from individual actions “.
While waiting for a government
This process may take time. Beyond the particular case of Kurdish forces which requires more negotiations, the other groups have agreed to join the army of a government that does not yet exist.
“ We need professional, honest people, children of Syria who do not accept outside help and who have no ties with foreigners. “, explains Ali Abdulbaqi.
To organize elections, it will first be necessary to draft a constitution. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has already said he is working with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham on the drafting of this text. But in Syria, several political and civil society actors have confided their concern to RFI. None of them having been consulted.
Also listenSyria: the protection of minorities can only be done “with a series of very diverse laws”