SOHR Director Warns Against Inclusion of Extremist Militias in Future Syrian Army

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Rami Abdulrahman, Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), warned on Thursday of the dangers posed by incorporating extremist armed groups into any future Syrian military structure, accusing prominent militia figures of exploiting the conflict for personal gain and threatening regional stability.

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Abdulrahman said that Ahmed Sharaa is using armed factions merely as leverage to advance his own interests, despite what he described as their involvement in serious human rights violations. He noted that Sharaa has publicly praised groups accused of forcibly displacing civilians and committing massacres in the predominantly Druze province of Suwayda.

Abdulrahman drew particular attention to militia leaders Abu Fazel and Abu Amsha. Abu Fazel has claimed to command as many as 500,000 illegal fighters, while Abu Amsha is known for his hostile stance toward the Kurds and has openly threatened to launch attacks on areas east of the Euphrates.

“Abu Amsha has a criminal history in Afrin and harbors deep hatred toward the Kurdish people,” Abdulrahman said. “The inclusion of such individuals in any future military framework would pose a serious threat, not only to the Kurds but also to Syria’s broader social fabric.”

Addressing the position of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Abdulrahman said the group supports the creation of a unified national army based on partnership and consensus. He emphasized that the SDF rejects any military model that could reproduce past abuses, including the targeting of Kurds, Alawites, and Druze, as seen in Afrin and other areas.

Abdulrahman’s remarks come amid intensified efforts to reshape Syria’s political and military landscape as discussions continue over forming a new Syrian army and defining the future role of the SDF. The SDF currently controls large parts of west Kurdistan (northeastern Syria), including territories east of the Euphrates, a region considered one of the most sensitive and unresolved issues in the country’s post-conflict framework.

Human rights monitors have repeatedly warned that extremist factions and armed groups accused of promoting ideologies linked to ISIS and other terrorist organizations are attempting to rebrand themselves and infiltrate state institutions, including the Interior Ministry. These groups have also been accused of opposing Kurdish self-administration structures and democratic governance systems in west Kurdistan.

Observers caution that any political settlement or military restructuring that excludes inclusive representation and accountability risks reigniting sectarian violence and undermining prospects for lasting stability in Syria.