In a controversial move, the new Syrian administration led by Ahmed Shar' has granted high military ranks to several civilians and foreign fighters, a decision described as "illogical" at this stage.

The decision, signed by Shar' and issued by the "General Command," included granting the rank of Major General to the Minister of Defense in the interim government, Marhaf Abu Qasra, as well as granting the rank of Colonel to several foreign fighters.

According to military and strategic expert Brigadier General Ahmed Rahal, as reported by Arab media, what happened cannot be considered a "promotion" in the traditional military sense.

Rahal said, "Promotions in the military are from one rank to a higher one, but when 80% of the beneficiaries of these ranks are civilians and not officers, it cannot be called promotions, but rather the granting of military ranks.

Rahal added that "granting military ranks to foreign fighters raises many questions about the legal and political foundations on which this decision was based," noting that "these ranks were granted without any official clarification of the mechanism or the basis on which it was made."

He pointed out that granting military ranks to foreign fighters of different nationalities, such as Jordanians, Albanians, Turkmen, and Tajiks, opens the door to other questions, including: "Have these individuals been naturalized? What is the military or political justification for granting them military ranks at this moment? Will we see them in the future in positions within the Ministry of Defense or other military bodies in Syria?

This decision has sparked ridicule in Iraq, as it was circulated by bloggers who described it as a repetition of the experience in Iraq, confirming that the decision was issued "in the Iraqi way."