Syria's transitional authorities have so far recruited half of a planned 200,000-man army, a Syrian military official briefed on the progress told The National.
Uniting myriad factions after the civil war, which broke out in 2011 and ended in December, is crucial for the consolidation of power by President Ahmad Al Shara, and could heal the country's fragmentation.
The leaders of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the group that led the rebel offensive that removed the regime of former president Bashar Al Assad last year, are aiming for a major geopolitical Middle East transformation.
Foreign fighters who were allies of HTS in the civil war have been brought into a new brigade, meeting a major US demand to contain them.
The official told The National that a 3,500-man brigade, comprising mostly foreign Uighur fighters, has been created under a commander known by the pseudonym Abu Muhammad Al Turkistani.
He owes loyalty to a more senior Uighur figure in Syria known as Abu Dajana, who has a direct line to Mr Al Shara, the official explained.
“The Uighurs and most of the foreign fighters will be given Syrian citizenship by the end of the year,” the official said, adding that the army will mostly consist of existing HTS members and factions from the civil war, rather than conscripts without military experience.
The new army also includes 30,000 members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. It aims to bring in 15,000 members of the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces – which is supported by the US and is in control of large parts of eastern Syria.
Mr Al Shara and SDF chief Mazloum Abdi have been discussing integrating the forces into the new army. On Tuesday, US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack told the Turkish NTV channel that the US will be reducing its military presence to the country from eight bases to one, a development not favourable to the SDF.
Last week, Mr Barrack, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, met Mr Al Shara in Damascus and announced that Washington would lift Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The Uighurs in Syria mainly came from China during the Syrian civil war. They belong to Al Qaeda-linked Turkistan Islamic Party, aligned with HTS and its forerunners.
For years, the group led HTS attacks on the Assad regime and other foes until the HTS built its own special forces comprising mostly Syrians, sources said.
The army is expected to be firmly under the control of the Syrian authorities. About two thirds of the senior commanders already appointed are HTS members, while the rest are drawn from the brigades that teamed up with the group, such as the Syrian National Army.
Salaries range from $150 to $500 and are being paid from resources under HTS control, including two telecoms companies that belonged to Mr Al Assad and his associates, the official said.
But the US decision last month to lift sanctions on Syria will help draw Arab funding, he added.
Every division will have 10,000 troops organised into five brigades − two infantry brigades, one armoured brigade, as well as a special forces and a “multi-task” brigade.
“Most brigades, bar the infantry, are still at skeleton stage,” the official said, adding the plans are being mainly drawn by Ali Noureddine Al Naasan, who Mr Al Shara appointed as army chief in January, and Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra.
Both men were close allies of Mr Al Shara during most of his transformation from a fighter in an extremist group to a President.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
The Bio
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE