Syrian Defense Minister: No Weapons Allowed Outside State Control
By Kardo Roj
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syrian Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Marhaf Abu Qasra said Monday evening that no armed entity would be permitted to operate outside the authority of the Ministry of Defense, underscoring a renewed effort to consolidate military command and restore institutional control across the country.
In an interview with the state-run al-Ikhbariyah TV, Abu Qasra emphasized that restoring public trust in the armed forces is a central priority in the post-conflict period. “The former image of the Syrian army was marred by crimes committed against the people. Today, we are working to rebuild that relationship and repair the damage,” he said.
According to the minister, the government has initiated dialogue with more than 130 armed factions in an effort to restructure and integrate them into the formal military hierarchy. “We’ve made significant progress in merging these factions under the Ministry of Defense,” he stated.
Abu Qasra also noted cooperation with the Ministry of Interior to crack down on illegal weapons and remnants of armed groups still operating outside state oversight. “We aim to eliminate unauthorized weapons and ensure that all arms are in the hands of the state,” he said, stressing that violations and abuses against civilians will not be tolerated.
The Defense Ministry is reportedly moving to organize and professionalize the country’s military institutions. Abu Qasra said this includes reactivating officers and personnel within a unified command, with the goal of improving operational efficiency and institutional integrity.
Efforts are also underway to rehabilitate military educational facilities across Syria. “We are restoring military academies to properly train recruits. Our vision is to build a voluntary, professional army—one that is based on a national military doctrine and serves to protect the Syrian people,” he added.
The minister revealed that outreach is ongoing to former officers who defected during the war. “Many of them have expressed a commitment to rebuilding the armed forces and serving the country. We are working to reintegrate them where possible.”
The comments come amid broader efforts to reassert central state control over armed actors across Syria, where localized forces, tribal militias, and other groups still hold influence in certain regions. In parts of the northeast, including areas governed by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), security continues to be managed by local institutions and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are not party to Damascus’s military restructuring.
The extent to which the Defense Ministry’s initiative will reshape Syria’s fragmented security landscape remains to be seen, though Abu Qasra’s remarks signal an assertive stance toward military centralization and state authority.