Syrian opposition considering plan to dissolve military factions and establish joint administration

Deputy Commander of the Levant Front tells The National democracy is the ultimate goal

Armed men in Aleppo after rebel forces took control of the city. EPA

The opposition coalition in Syria on Wednesday said it was considering a plan to dissolve its various military factions and merge them into “one military umbrella” to establish a governing administration in reclaimed territories.

Ali Hannoura, Deputy Commander of the Levant Front in Syria confirmed that the coalition, led by the internationally designated Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, is “mulling at the moment” over the plan.

He emphasised that the joint military administration would be a temporary solution with the ultimate goal of establishing a democratic process.

“Once we're in a better situation militarily and it's time for picking the new leaders of Syria, this should be done through the ballot box,” he told The National in a virtual briefing from the front lines.

Mr Hannoura is in active battle at the helm of the rebel faction Al Jabha Al Shamiyah, which he says is “very close” to the city of Hama and hopes to “liberate all of Syria".

Ubayda Arnaout, spokesman for the Salvation Government's political affairs department in the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham civilian structure, added that the "Syrian Salvation Government in its current form will not be responsible for managing newly liberated areas".

"A new administration is needed to govern, and the size and scope of this administration will depend on military achievements, he told The National.

Developments on the ground have again raised questions about what government in Syria without the autocratic Al Assad regime would resemble, especially with many international interests deeply seeping into the crevices of conflict.

Russia and Iran are the Syrian regime's most important backers but as both are tied up in their own geopolitical conflicts, it is uncertain whether Damascus will receive the forceful support it did in the past.

As the Council on Foreign Relations put it in an analysis report this week: “There is no question that Moscow will want to defend its position in Syria, but it is unclear yet whether that includes defending Assad.”

Turkey is also an important player and the CFR notes it seems likely Ankara is “reassessing” recent overtures to the Assad regime.

“If President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his advisers believe that Assad is likely to fall, Turkey could renew its effort to be uniquely influential in a successor government in Damascus,” the think tank said.

Mr Hannoura on Wednesday emphasised, though, that the relaunch of the fight against the regime was “a purely Syrian decision", with “purely Syrian imperatives and priorities".

The speed with which rebel factions have recaptured areas of regime territory have left many fearful for minority factions.

As recently as last year, the US said Hayat Tahrir “committed abuse against members of religious and ethnic minority groups, including the seizure of properties belonging to displaced Christians”. The opposition has in recent days has sought to present itself as a coalition shedding itself of sectarianism.

Hayat Tahrir, the most prominent group emerging at the helm of the reinvigorated movement, addressed concerns from the Kurds, for example, saying: “In the future Syria, we believe that diversity is our strength, not our weakness.”

Mr Hannoura called on international organisations to “come and see things for themselves and monitor” future elections in opposition-held territories.

He said the opposition coalition has “absolutely no objection to any Syrian from any background” being a part of the future government.