"Control everything"

Syria: Armed groups to be disbanded

Damascus on the day of upheaval(Bild: AP)

All armed rebel factions in Syria are to be disbanded and brought together under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense. The leaders of the individual groups agreed on this after a meeting with Syria's de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Al-Sharaa had previously announced that he would not allow weapons to exist in the country that were beyond state control. The agreement was announced by the new transitional government on Tuesday evening.

Syria's long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown on December 8 by a rebel alliance led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The protests that broke out in 2011, which ultimately led to a civil war with international involvement, have deeply divided the country.

Following the fall of Assad, there are still sometimes fierce battles between Kurdish militias, who are fighting together with the USA against the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), and forces supported by Turkey, particularly in northern Syria.

Christmas tree set on fire causes outrage
Meanwhile, a Christmas tree set on fire in a town in western Syria is causing outrage. According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of people demonstrated against the act on Monday evening in the capital Damascus and other cities. They called for Syrian national unity, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Christians and Muslims took to the streets together, participant Samer Elias from Damascus told the German Press Agency. "Everyone demanded the protection of Christians."

Christian protest in Damascus(Bild: AFP or licensors)

On Monday evening, unknown persons set fire to the Christmas tree in Al-Suqaylabiyah in the province of Hama. One person was arrested, according to the local security authorities. The tree is to be repaired. No insults to any part of the Syrian people would be tolerated, it was emphasized.