Al-Sharaa: Thousands join New Syrian Army in voluntary conscription drive

Transitional Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has confirmed that the formation of the New Syrian Army is well underway, with thousands of volunteers enlisting.

In a recent statement, Al-Sharaa emphasized that this would not be a compulsory conscription effort, but rather one based on voluntary enlistment, Caliber.Az reports via Arab media.

Al-Sharaa highlighted the significant number of young men who fled Syria to avoid mandatory military service under the previous regime, noting that this issue became one of the central concerns for Syrians following the outbreak of the conflict in 2011. The prolonged civil war, which has claimed more than half a million lives, deeply impacted both the country's security and its population's trust in state institutions.

“The formation of a new army is crucial for Syria's future,” Al-Sharaa stated, stressing that it is designed to provide a more stable and secure environment.

The move comes as part of broader reforms initiated since Al-Sharaa's appointment as interim president on January 29, which included the dissolution of all armed opposition factions and the restructuring of military and security forces.

The Syrian military, once a force of 300,000 combat troops, has suffered immense losses during the conflict. Estimates suggest that half of its personnel have been killed, defected, or fled, significantly weakening the country's defence capabilities. Despite this, both Iran and Russia have provided substantial military backing to the regime forces, contributing to their recovery and recapture of key territories.

In addition to military reforms, Al-Sharaa called for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Syria. He expressed a growing consensus among visitors to Damascus that these sanctions hinder the country's recovery, noting that economic development is critical to Syria's stability.

“Without economic growth, there will be no stability, and this will only lead to more chaos and insecurity,” Al-Sharaa remarked.

By Khagan Isayev