Syria Appoints Some Foreign Fighters to Senior Military Roles

At Least Six Made Brigadier-General, Colonel in 'Token of Recognition for Sacrifices'

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DAMASCUS - Syria's new rulers have installed some foreign fighters, including Uighurs, a Jordanian and a Turk, in the country's armed forces as Damascus tries to shape a patchwork of rebel groups into a professional military, two Syrian sources said.

The move to give official roles, including senior ones, to several militants may alarm some foreign governments and Syrian citizens fearful about the new administration's intentions, despite its pledges not to export Islamic revolution and to rule with tolerance towards Syria's large minority groups.

A Syrian government spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment on the thinking behind the appointments.

The sources said that out of a total of almost 50 military roles announced by the Defence Ministry on Dec 29, at least six had gone to foreigners.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the nationalities of the individuals appointed.

Thousands of Sunni Muslim foreigners joined Syria's rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against the rule of now ousted president Bashar al-Assad and the Iran-backed Shi'ite militias who supported him, giving the conflict a sectarian overtone.