The United States (U.S.) has signaled support for a Syrian plan to incorporate thousands of former foreign jihadist fighters into the national army, according to President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Syria.
Thomas Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Trump’s recently appointed envoy, told Reuters that Washington supports the move. “I would say there is an understanding, with transparency.”
He said it was better to include the fighters, many of whom are “very loyal” to Syria’s new administration within the state, than to exclude them.
Roughly 3,500 foreign fighters, mostly Uyghurs from China and nearby countries, will join Syria’s newly formed 84th Army Division, alongside regular Syrian troops, according to three senior Syrian defense officials cited by Reuters.
The Uyghur fighters from China and Central Asia belong to the Turkistan Islamic Party, which Beijing has designated as a terrorist organization.
The fighters previously belonged to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate that helped topple the administration of President Bashar al-Assad last year. Their status has complicated Western efforts to normalize ties with Syria’s new government.
Until May, the U.S. had pushed for their exclusion. But policy has shifted after Trump’s recent Middle East tour, where he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and agreed to lift Assad-era sanctions.
Two sources close to Syria’s defense ministry said the government argues integration reduces the risk of fighters rejoining extremist groups including the Islamic State.
The U.S. State Department and Syrian officials have not yet responded to the report.
