Syrian rebels unite: Consolidation under post-Assad government begins

The de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed Al-Sharaa (Al-Julani) who heads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, announced today (Tuesday) that he has reahed an agreement with the leaders of the other Syrian rebel groups to dissolve their organizations and join the new Syrian government following the fall of the Assad regime.

Under the agreement, the rebel groups will lose their independence and be integrated into the new Syrian army under the Defense Ministry. Al-Sharaa previously stated that he would "absolutely not allow there to be weapons in the country outside state control" amid concerns that Syria could descend into chaos as the multiple rebels groups fought for control in the wake of Assad's ouster.

Last week, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir said that the Defense Ministry would be restructured with the integration of former rebel groups as well as officers who defected from the Assad regime's military.

Former rebel leader Murhaf Abu Qasra has been appointed Defense Minister under the new government.

* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.