The United States has conditionally approved a proposal by Syria’s new leadership to integrate thousands of former opposition fighters into the country’s national army, provided the process is conducted with transparency and oversight, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said Monday.

Barrack, who also serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and was appointed last month as Special Envoy to Syria by former President Donald Trump, told Reuters: “There is a sense of understanding and transparency. It is better to retain these fighters—many of whom are deeply loyal to the new Syrian administration—within the framework of the state rather than excluding them.”

The initiative is part of a broader national reconciliation effort and aims to stabilize the country by absorbing combatants into formal state structures rather than leaving them marginalized.

Two sources close to Syria’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that President Ahmed Al-Shara and his inner circle emphasized in recent meetings with Western officials that integrating foreign former fighters into the military poses fewer security risks than abandoning them outside the state’s control.

The plan has received preliminary backing from Washington, but U.S. officials stress it must adhere to strict standards of accountability and reintegration to ensure long-term stability.