Recent news from Syria has provided us with striking images of former Syrian regime soldiers handing over their weapons to the new Syrian government. These scenes, captured in the city of Latakia by Agence France-Presse, reflect a historic moment when members of the Assad regime’s security forces are making a significant decision to lay down their weapons and contribute to the transition process set up by the rebel-affiliated transitional government.
The videos released show men in civilian clothes lining up to hand over their weapons to representatives of the new government’s Interior Ministry. The men can be seen talking to officials, having their pictures taken as they hand over their personal firearms. The corners of the government office are littered with hundreds of various pistols and ammunition, attesting to the scale of this arms handover.
This symbolic action comes against the backdrop of the establishment of a new leadership in Syria, led by the Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) group. A government official linked to the rebels, Mohammad Al-Bashir, has been appointed interim prime minister for the next three months. His government will oversee the country’s transition to a new administration. Ministers from the former HTS-linked relief government, as well as senior Assad-era officials, will continue to serve as ministers until March 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the HTS and de facto leader of Syria, has advocated for the lifting of international sanctions against the country. In an interview with the BBC in Damascus, Jolani – renamed Ahmad al-Sharaa – stressed that the sanctions should be lifted because they targeted the former regime and not the current government. He says that HTS, although designated a terrorist organization by several countries, has not committed crimes that warrant the label.
Jolani also sought to reassure fears of a repeat of the Taliban model in Afghanistan in Syria, highlighting the cultural and social differences between the two countries. He stressed respect for Syrian culture, particularly in the education of women and the need for inclusive dialogue.
Jolani’s meeting with the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Otto Pedersen, opened up a window of hope for an end to sanctions and the reconstruction of the country. Contacts have also been established between the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Qatar and Turkey with the rebel groups in power in Syria.
These arms surrender actions are not isolated to Latakia, as cities such as Daraa have also set up similar programs for the return of weapons. The soldiers handing over their weapons were given temporary cards allowing them to move freely in the “liberated” areas of Syria while awaiting the completion of legal procedures, with no further details on these procedures.
Syria’s tumultuous past of political repression and atrocities under the Assad regime calls for a peaceful transition and nation-building. The handing over of weapons by former members of the security forces to the new government symbolises a step towards reconciliation and rebuilding a country scarred by years of civil war.
Syria is at a turning point in its history, where symbolic gestures such as the surrender of weapons can signify new hope for a future of peace and prosperity. It remains to be seen how this transition will unfold and what role the various international actors will play in the Syrian reconstruction process.