Head of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG), Abdurrahman Mustafa, announced a merger between the National Liberation Front and the Syrian National Army under the roof of SIG’s Ministry of Defense. The National Army now comprises seven corps and about 80,000 fighters.
SIG set as a priority the unification of military groups and the formation of a professional national army with the aim of improving security and stability in the liberated areas.
In a press conference on Friday, Mustafa said that the Syrian National Army and the National Liberation Front merged under one umbrella operating on a regular military basis and answers to SIG’s Ministry of Defense.
Mustafa stressed that the goal of the National Army is to liberate the entire Syrian territory from tyrants, fight corruption, dictatorship and sectarianism, maintain the unity and integrity of Syrian territory, defend the liberated areas, and give the occupied areas back to their rightful owners.
Major General Salim Idris was appointed as the Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff, while Brigadier General Adnan Al-Ahmad is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the First, Second and Third Corps. Brigadier General Fadlallah Al-Hajji is the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Corps. (Source: Syrian National Coalition’s Media Department)