NEW YORK - At the United Nations on Thursday, China expressed concerns about reports that foreign fighters will be integrated into Syrian government forces and called on Damascus to rein in terrorist groups.
“We are concerned by reports that foreign terrorist fighters in Syria have recently joined Syrian government forces. And we call on Syria's interim officials to fulfill their anti-terrorism duties. They must take all necessary measures to control all terrorist organizations and individuals designated by the Security Council, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Syria,” Geng Shuang, deputy Chinese ambassador to the UN, said during a Security Council meeting.
East Turkestan Islamic Movement is Muslim separatist group founded by Uyghurs in northwest China. The United States in 2020 revoked its designation of the movement as a terrorist organization because there was no credible evidence that the group still existed. Human rights monitors accuse China of committing crimes against humanity against its Turkic Muslim population.
On Monday, US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack told Reuters that an understanding had been reached with Damascus on integrating foreign fighters loyal to the new Syrian administration into the military.
The plan includes the absorption of around 3,500 foreign fighters - mainly Uyghurs from China and neighboring countries - into a new military unit alongside Syrian nationals, Reuters reported, citing three Syrian defense officials.
In January, the new authorities in Damascus disbanded the Syrian army and the long-ruling Ba’ath Party, annulled the constitution, and formed an interim government headed by rebel commander Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Officials in northeast Syria (Rojava) have expressed concern about the decision.
"We, like all Syrians, were surprised by the decision to allow foreigners to be integrated into the new Syrian army we’re trying to establish in a professional, ethical manner - one far from any ideological influence,” Sanharib Barsom, co-chair of the Syriac Union Party, told Rudaw,
Geng warned that Syria is facing a “very delicate security situation” with a growing terror threat.
“In recent times, Syria has faced several intense terrorist attacks, which increases the hope of terrorist organizations and extremist forces to benefit from the existing chaos to grow and return,” he said.
Geng also warned that the “international community must remain very vigilant” about the possibility of chemical weapons falling into the wrong hands and said Damascus “must also prevent dangerous chemical weapons from falling into terrorists' hands.”
Islamic State (ISIS) militants in the west of the country have sought to take advantage of the changing security landscape, carrying out numerous attacks on civilians and Kurdish-led forces.