Syria to Integrate Uyghur Fighters into National Army under U.S.-Backed Plan

Uyghur Fighters from Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) to Join Syria’s National Army in U.S.-Backed Integration of Thousands of Foreign Ex-Rebels

By Uyghur Times Staff
June 2, 2025 – Washington, DC

Uyghur Times Exclusive: Syria to Integrate Thousands of Foreign Fighters, Including Uyghur Members of TIP, into National Army with U.S. Support

DAMASCUS — On June 2, 2025, Reuters reported that Syria’s new transitional leadership plans to incorporate thousands of foreign fighters—primarily Uyghurs affiliated with the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP)—into the restructured national army. This initiative, which has received U.S. approval provided it proceeds transparently, marks a key step in efforts to unify disparate armed factions following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

According to three Syrian defense officials cited by Reuters, approximately 3,500 foreign fighters, mainly from China and neighboring Central Asian countries, are expected to join the newly formed 84th Division of the Syrian army. This unit will also include Syrian nationals. The fighters, many of whom arrived in Syria as volunteers during the civil war to support rebel and opposition groups against the Assad government, are largely associated with the TIP, a Uyghur-led organization that Beijing designates as a terrorist group—a label the TIP rejects.

A TIP political official, Osman Bughra, stated in a written response to Reuters that the group has officially dissolved and that its members are now integrating into the Syrian army under the Ministry of Defense’s authority.

This development builds on earlier appointments in the post-Assad transition. In December 2024, as the new Syrian authorities began restructuring the military, Abu Muhammad al-Turkistani (also known as Abdulaziz Dawood hudaberdi or Zahid), the TIP’s commander in Syria, was promoted to brigadier-general and assigned command of the 133rd Division.

The integration plan has the backing of Thomas Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey who was appointed as President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Syria in May 2025. In comments to Reuters in Damascus, Barrack described an “understanding, with transparency” regarding the move. The initiative has also garnered support from Turkey and Qatar, reflecting a broader realignment in post-war Syria away from previous reliance on Russia and China.

The fighters’ long-term presence in Syria stems from their participation in the civil war, where many joined opposition coalitions, including groups aligned with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which now leads the transitional government under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Uyghur Times will continue to follow developments related to Uyghur fighters in Syria and their implications for the Uyghur community and regional dynamics.