Leader of Syrian Rebels Says All Weapons, Including Kurdish Arms, Will Come Under Government Control

The leader of the Syrian rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime emphasized that weapons in the country, including those held by Kurdish groups, will come under government control. Ahmad al-Shar'aa, known as al-Julani, stated during a joint press conference with the Turkish Foreign Minister on Sunday, December 23, that armed groups in Syria will soon begin to announce their 'dissolution' and will integrate into the army. According to AFP, Ahmad al-Shar'aa said he will absolutely not allow 'weapons outside of government control' in Syria, whether from revolutionary factions or from groups present in the SDF areas. The 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF) is a coalition of U.S.-aligned groups fighting against ISIS, led by the 'People's Protection Units' (YPG), which Turkey labels as 'terrorists.' Ahmad al-Shar'aa appeared at this press conference and in his meetings on Sunday in a formal suit and tie. According to Reuters, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also emphasized that the 'People's Protection Units' must be dissolved and has discussed this with the new Syrian rulers. Hakan Fidan also called for the lifting of sanctions against Syria and assistance to help the country return refugees. The Syrian civil war, which lasted nearly 14 years, left over half a million dead and displaced more than half of the country's population; many Syrian refugees fled to neighboring countries, including three million to Turkey. Turkey's strong relations with the ruling rebels in Syria continue, and Hakan Fidan's visit to Damascus was his second trip to Syria in recent days. Meanwhile, Turkey's attacks on Kurdish-controlled areas in northern and northeastern Syria continue, with tensions particularly heightened in Kobani. The leader of the ruling rebels in Syria also met on Sunday with Walid Jumblatt, the leader of the Druze in Lebanon, and spoke of the end of Damascus's 'negative intervention' in Lebanon. According to AFP, he described Syria under Bashar al-Assad as a 'source of fear and concern' for its neighbors and claimed he would end sectarianism. He stated that the new Syrian government would maintain 'equal distance from all' in Lebanon. Based on a video shared on social media, the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham also mentioned that the presence of Iranian militias in Syria was a 'source of concern' for everyone. Hours before this meeting, Ali Khamenei claimed that the Islamic Republic has 'no proxy forces' and if it wanted to act, it would not need proxy forces. Walid Jumblatt is the first major Lebanese politician to visit Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. According to the Associated Press, the Druze leader, who traveled to Damascus with Druze representatives in the Lebanese parliament, expressed hope for a new era in relations between the two countries. In another news, it was reported on Sunday evening that a Saudi delegation met and discussed with Ahmad al-Shar'aa in Damascus, although details of this meeting have not yet been released. The rebels led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham launched surprise attacks in northwestern Syria on November 28 and ended Bashar al-Assad's regime with their entry into Damascus on December 9.