Ahmed al-Jarjis arrived, rifle in hand, on the morning of Monday, January 26, at the gates of the Interior Security Center, located at kilometer 7 on the road heading north from Deir ez-Zor. After regaining control of this predominantly Arab province in northeastern Syria, authorities in Damascus called on Arab and Kurdish men who had fought with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF, a group dominated by Kurdish fighters) to come forward for a reconciliation process.

At the entrance to the building that formerly housed the Asayish (the Kurdish internal security forces), the guards made al-Jarjis pose while he handed over his weapon. They posted the photo on social media to reassure the remaining former SDF fighters who had not yet surrendered. There were only a few of them when the center opened. “The fighters are afraid of being arrested if they come. People like me, who have completed the reconciliation process, will reassure them. We are treated well,” said the 25-year-old, playing along.

The reconciliation procedure implemented by the Syrian transitional authorities mirrors the one that was imposed on soldiers and officers of the former regime after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024. “Anyone who does not surrender their weapon and complete the reconciliation procedure within the allotted time will be sought after. We will have all the information, because the region is now under our control,” said Mohamed al-Riani, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry present at the site.

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