Syria gives holdout armed groups deadline to join state forces
DAMASCUS
Syria's defense minister on May 17 gave holdout armed groups a 10-day deadline to join the war-torn country's forces, in the latest push to unify ranks following Bashar al-Assad's ouster.
Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said all major armed factions had now been integrated into the Defense Ministry after the new authorities began working to bring them together, but he urged the remaining smaller groups to also join ranks.
"We emphasize the need for the remaining small military groups to join the ministry within a maximum period of 10 days from this announcement," the statement said.
The move was required "to complete the unification and organisation efforts,” the statement said, adding "any delay will necessitate taking the appropriate measures according to the law.”
It did not identify which groups had not joined the ministry or elaborate on what measures might be taken against any that failed to do so.
In another development, Damascus also announced the formation of a national commission for missing people and another for transitional justice.
The first body is tasked with "researching and uncovering the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared, documenting cases, establishing a national database and providing legal and humanitarian support to their families.”
A separate decree announced the formation of a national commission for transitional justice to "uncover the truth about the grave violations caused by the former regime.”
That commission should hold those responsible to account "in coordination with the relevant authorities, remedy the harm to victims and firmly establish the principles of non-recurrence and national reconciliation,” according to the announcement.
