The military chief of the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has been appointed Minister of Defense in Syria’s transitional government, authorities announced on Tuesday.
"The general command announces the appointment of General Mourhaf Abou Qasra as Minister of Defense in the new government of the Syrian Arab Republic," led by Mohammad al-Bachir, the official Sana agency reported.
Mourhaf Abou Qasra, 41, has been the head of HTS's military wing for five years and is considered one of the key commanders behind the offensive that allowed rebels to capture most of the country in just 11 days.
He was promoted on Sunday to the rank of general by HTS leader and new Syrian ruler Ahmad al-Chareh.
In an interview with AFP on December 17, Abou Qasra used his real name for the first time after years of going by his nom de guerre, Abou Hassan al-Hamwi, referencing Hama (central Syria), his home region.
He announced that "the next phase" would involve dissolving armed factions, starting with his own, to integrate them into the future military institution.
The military official stated that the new government aims to extend its authority to Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria, governed by an autonomous Kurdish administration supported by Washington.
Mourhaf Abou Qasra also called on the international community to intervene and put an end to Israel's military operations and attacks in neighboring Syria.
"Syria will not serve as a base for regional or international conflicts," he assured, noting that the country is "exhausted by war" after more than 13 years of civil conflict.
With AFP
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