The Syrian government recruited so far half of its planned army

The Syrian government has so far recruited nearly half of the targeted number of military forces for the New Syrian Army project, which is estimated to total 200,000 personnel.

Within this framework, approximately 3,500 foreign fighters have been integrated into a new formation affiliated with the Syrian armed forces.

According to Syrian military sources, most of the recruits come from various armed factions, including former fighters from Hay’at Tahrir al Sham and factions allied with it.

Around 30,000 have also been incorporated from the Turkish backed “Syrian National Army,” along with 15,000 from the “Syria Democratic Forces (SDF).

In a notable move, a new brigade was created at the request of the United States, comprising foreign fighters—most of whom are from the Uyghur minority—led by a man known as “Abu Muhammad al Turkistani,” who reports to another leader called “Abu Dujana”.

Reports indicate that the majority of these fighters will be granted Syrian citizenship by the end of this year.

The military source confirmed that the new formation relies on veteran fighters, not new recruits, noting that about two-thirds of the senior leadership within the new formation belong to Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, while the remaining percentage is distributed among allied factions, most notably the Syrian National Army.

The average monthly salaries of the members are estimated at between $150 and $500, funded by local economic resources, including two telecommunications companies previously owned by the former regime.
The lifting of US sanctions on Syria last May opened the door to the possibility of Arab financial support for this military project, especially with some countries seeking to reshape the balance of power in the country.

The new army consists of several divisions, each comprising approximately 20,000 soldiers, distributed across five brigades with different functions: two infantry brigades, an armored brigade, a special forces brigade, and a multi-mission brigade.
However, the formations, with the exception of the infantry brigades, are still in their early stages of organization.

The restructuring process is currently being led by the Major Generals, the new Chief of Staff, Ali Nour al Din al Naasan, and the Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra.

The US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack announced to Reuters that the US administration has given its approval to the new Syrian government’s plan, which includes the integration of thousands of former jihadist fighters into the new army.

Barrack explained that US support is conditional on full transparency in the implementation of the plan, noting that these fighters are extremely loyal to the current administration, which makes it better to integrate them into state institutions rather than exclude them.
According to three Syrian military officials, a new unit known as the 84th Division has been established, comprising approximately 3,500 foreign fighters—mostly Uighurs—in addition to other Syrian elements.