A Shah, Syria’s new leader who adheres to Islamic doctrine, has been in power for a year and has been trying to distance himself from extreme jihadism.
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, thousands of foreign militants have poured into the country to participate in the fight to overthrow the Assad regime, which was overthrown in December 2024.
According to an anonymous Syrian government source, Syrian Foreign Minister Shibani raised the issue of Uyghur fighters during talks with Chinese officials on Monday.
The source said, "At China's request, the Syrian government plans to transfer these militants in batches, after China previously banned them from joining the Syrian army."
The diplomatic source, who also requested anonymity, pointed out that "Syria plans to transfer 400 Uyghur militants to China in the near future."
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged China's support for the Syrian peace process during a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Shibani on Monday.
Following the talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated, "The Syrian side pledged not to allow any organization to use Syria to harm China's interests."
Reports indicate that Uyghur jihadists from northwestern China and other regions joined the Syrian army during the Syrian civil war, primarily under the leadership of the East Turkestan Islamic Party.
After taking office in early December last year, the new Syrian leader Ahmed Shah announced the dissolution of jihadist armed groups and subsequently appointed former rebels, including at least one Uyghur, to command positions in the new army.
One of the new armed forces is a unit composed of Uyghurs, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates has between 3,200 and 4,000 fighters.