Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa Promotes Military Officers, Including Senior HTS Commanders, Uyghur, Albanian, Turkish, Jordanian, Egyptian Nationals

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On December 29, 2024, the General Command of the Syrian militant factions, led by Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), published an order listing military officers it had promoted.[1] The order was issued "in accordance with the greatest national interests, as part of beginning the process of developing and modernizing the army and armed forces, based on the national frameworks for achieving security and stability, based on the requirements of military action, to achieve the highest standards of efficiency and organization, continue working with a spirit of commitment and dedication to serving and protecting the religion and homeland, and strengthening confidence in the capabilities of the Syrian Arab Army – with all its groups and ranks – to confront challenges and achieve victories."

The order promotes two men, Murhaf Abu Qusrah and 'Ali Nour Al-Din Al-Na'san, to the rank of major general.

Another five men are promoted to brigadier general: Muhammad Khayr Hasan Shu'ayb, 'Abd Al-Rahman Husayn Al-Khatib, 'Abd Al-'Aziz Dawoud Khudabardi, 'Abdo Muhammad Sirhan, and 'Umar Muhammad Jaftashi.

The 42 men promoted to the rank of colonel are: Ahmad Muhammad Al-Razouq, 'Ala' Muhammad 'Abd Al-Baqi, Mahmoud Fawzi Hamedi, Nashwan Muhammad Hanzal, Muhammad Husayn Hajj 'Ali, Moulan Tarsoun 'Abd Al-Samad, Haytham Khaled Al-'Ali, 'Abdul Samriz Yashari, Usamah Mu'in Qazzah, Sayf Al-Din Ma'mour Muhammad Tajili, Usamah 'Awwad Al-Husayn, Muhammad 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sheikh Muhammad, Hamzah 'Abd Al-Naser Al-Hamidi, 'Abd Al-Qader Mahmoud Tahoush, Ziyad Muhammad Kharouf, 'Abd Al-Latif 'Abd Al-Karim Salamah, Mu'awiyah 'Izz Al-Din Sa'd Al-Din, Hasan Muhammad 'Abd Al-Ghani, Husayn 'Abdallah Al-'Ubayd, Abniyan Ahmad Al-Hariri, Khalid Muhammad Halabi, 'Abd Al-Salam Yasin Ahmad, 'Uqayl Muhammad Al-'Amer, Amjad Muhammad Al-Jasem, Ahmad 'Id Al-Shami, Ashhad Ahmad Al-Salibi, Muhammad Sulayman Al-Khatib, 'Asem Rashed Hawari, Munir Munawwar  Al-Sheikh Jum'ah, Sufyan Muhammad Al-Sheikh Saleh, Ahmad Muhammad Al-Jasem, Ahmad Hasan Naqouh, Jamil Shahadah Al-Saleh, Muhammad Khalid Khulayf, Muhammad Diya' Saleh Tahhan, Ahmad Mahrous Khalid Darwish, Ahmad 'Isa Al-Sheikh, Ahmad Muhammad Rizq, Muhammad 'Ikrimah Mansour, Dhu Al-Qarnayn Zannour Al-Basar 'Abd Al-Hamid, Muhammad Khalid Al-Bayoush, and Tareq Muhammad Kamal Soulaq.

Noting that the order goes into effect on January 1, 2025, it is signed by "General Commander Ahmed Al-Sharaa," aka Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani.

Telegram Channel Provides Details On Some Promoted Officers

A Telegram channel which has supported the Syrian rebels published details on some of the newly-promoted officers.[2]

Discussing the two major generals, the channel noted that Murhaf Abu Qusrah, also known as Abu Hasan Al-Hamawi or Abu Hasan 600, was born in Halfaya, Homs governorate. He served as the head of the HTS Military Wing and was reportedly appointed Minister of Defense. 'Ali Al-Na'san, from Tayyibat Al-Imam in Homs governorate, has reportedly been appointed the commander in chief of the Syrian army. He formerly served as an HTS military commander.

Abu Qusrah (far right) with Al-Joulani and commanders of Syrian military factions on December 21 (Telegram.me/G_CSyriaa)

Providing details on the five brigadier generals, the channel noted that Muhammad Shu'ayb aka Abu Al-Khayr Taftanaz, was a military commander in HTS, as was 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Khatib, a Jordanian national also known as Abu Husayn Al-Urduni and 'Umar Jaftashi, a Turkish national also known as Mukhtar Al-Turki. 'Abd Al-'Aziz Khudabardi aka Abu Muhammad Turkestan, was the chief military commander of the Uyghur jihadi group Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), and also served as an HTS military commander. 'Abdo Sirhan, a native of Syria's Eastern Ghouta, had been the emir of that area for HTS' predecessor, Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN).

A photo shared in March 2019 allegedly showing Mukhtar Al-Turki (Telegram.me/mzmgr_syria)

TIP commander Abu Muhammad in Tartus on December 10 (Muhsinlar.net)

The channel also provided details on some of the colonels. 'Abdul Samriz Yashari is an Albanian national also known as Abu Qatadah Al-Albani, who was an HTS military commander. Ahmad Al-Sheikh aka Abu 'Isa Al-Sheikh, a native of Syria's Idlib governorate, had headed the Suqour Al-Sham faction, and Jamil Al-Saleh, formerly holding the rank of major, had headed the Jaysh Al-'Izzah faction. Husayn Al-'Ubayd was a military commander in the Ahrar Al-Sham jihadi group. Ahmad Rizq, the commander of the Nour Al-Din Al-Zinki faction, is "one of the individuals allied with HTS." Muhammad Tahhan aka Abu Saleh Tahhan, was the commander of the Jaysh Al-Ahrar faction.  Moulan 'Abd Al-Samad, a native of Tajikistan, 'Ala' 'Abd Al-Baqi, an Egyptian national, and Abniyan Al-Hariri, a native of Syria's Daraa Governorate, were all HTS military commanders.

Ahmad Al-Sheikh (far left) with Al-Joulani on December 15 (X.com/aleisa971)

Jamil Al-Saleh with Al-Joulani on December 16 (Telegram.me/G_CSyriaa)

Ahmad Rizq with Al-Joulani on December 14 (Telegram.me/Noraldenzenky)

Muhammad Tahhan with Al-Joulani on December 16 (Telegram.me/G_CSyriaa)

The channel promised to add details on additional officers when they become available.

It should also be noted that Hasan 'Abd Al-Ghani, who had been a lieutenant colonel, served as the spokesman of the Military Operations Command during the offensive which toppled the Assad regime.[3]

Unofficial channels reported on December 21 that Abu Qusrah had been appointed defense minister of Syria, but the reports have not been officially confirmed.[4]

TIP military chief Abu Muhammad aka Zahid featured prominently in photosets which the group distributed documenting its fighters' participation in the offensive.[5]

Al-Joulani has pledged to dissolve Syria's multiple armed factions and subsume them into an organized army subject to the country's defense ministry.[6]