The Syrian Ministry of Interior has launched a new structure for its work through a series of measures, the latest of which was the appointment of six assistants to the Minister of Interior, Anas Khattab.
The ministry announced, in separate statements on Sunday, May 25, the appointment of six assistants to the Minister of Interior in various specialties:
- Major General Abdul Qader Tahan, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs.
- Major General Ahmed Mohammed Latouf, Assistant Minister of Interior for Police Affairs.
- Brigadier General Ziad Fawaz Al-Ayesh, Assistant Minister of Interior for Civil Affairs.
- Brigadier General Basem Abdel Hamid Al-Mansour, Assistant Minister of Interior for Administrative and Legal Affairs.
- Engineer Ahmed Mohamed Amin Haffar, Assistant Minister of Interior for Technical Affairs.
- Dr. Mohamed Hossam Ramez Al-Sheikh Fattouh, Assistant Minister of Interior for Human Resources Affairs.
New structure
Following consultations and sessions that included human rights activists, researchers, and stakeholders, the Syrian Ministry of Interior announced a new structure for the ministry at a press conference yesterday, describing it as “stemming from local needs and in keeping with the spirit of the times.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba presented the ministry’s structure during a press conference at the Ministry of Information building in Damascus, attended by Enab Baladi. Al-Baba presented the structure and explained its details, and answered questions from journalists and media outlets covering the conference.
The Pope announced the merger of the police and public security apparatuses, the introduction of new visual identity cards, the establishment of a complaints office, and the creation of a prison and corrections department.
In response to a question from Enab Baladi about whether the Ministry of Interior had a plan to retry prisoners convicted of criminal offenses such as murder, theft, and others, he said that there are ongoing daily campaigns in various governorates to arrest those involved in criminal offenses and retry them.
He added, “Unfortunately, there is no reliable database from the former regime regarding these wanted individuals.”
The Pope pointed out that the former regime deliberately pursued a policy of sinking the boat. Coinciding with the liberation of Aleppo, it released approximately six thousand prisoners convicted of murder, rape, and other offenses. He emphasized that security campaigns are pursuing these individuals and reviewing their criminal and legal status.
Merge and update
The Ministry of Interior spokesperson announced the merger of the police and public security agencies into a single agency called the “Provincial Internal Security Command.” The command will be headed by a single commander representing the Minister of Interior in the province. Several directorates will be subordinate to the command in the regions that comprise the province’s geography. The number of security commanders will be proportional to the number of Syrian provinces.
In a previous report, Enab Baladi addressed the steps required to improve the efficiency of the General Security Service. According to what Noureddine Al-Baba told Enab Baladi before his appointment as spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, “The General Security Service is a primitive security system created by the current circumstances. Despite the difficult circumstances of its birth and the limited resources, it has achieved significant successes in many security fields. It has also recorded some mistakes, some of which are acceptable depending on the context of the situation.”
The Pope believes that the security situation in Syria, as a result of its experiences, is “very acceptable,” and that the security services and administrations are achieving clear successes despite the enormous challenges and limited resources.
Regarding civil affairs, the Ministry of Interior is working to restructure procedures, automate information, and issue new identity cards with a new visual identity that is appropriate for the new Syria.
The ministry’s spokesperson added that the ministry “is suffering from poor infrastructure and digital capabilities, outdated and ineffective administrative procedures previously imposed, and undisciplined policies, with significant damage to the department’s facilities.”
The project to issue ID cards to citizens is one of the development projects being undertaken by the Civil Affairs Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, according to what its director, Abdullah Abdullah, previously told Enab Baladi.
Abdullah Abdullah pointed out that the two cards issued by the former regime’s government or the Salvation Government are still in use in official departments. The current halt in card issuance is due to the 45 out-of-date ID card printing machines. New printing machines are being purchased to reissue these cards after the data network is repaired and maintained.
New departments
Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine Baba announced the creation of several new departments within the ministry as part of the new structure, including:
- Complaints Management: This department is responsible for receiving complaints, following up on errors, and holding accountable any disciplinary violations. It includes five central complaints departments under the Public Relations Department, and a dedicated complaints application will be launched soon.
- Prison and Correctional Services: The goal is for prisons to serve as a means of enforcing the law and correcting behavior, while preserving the dignity of prisoners and guaranteeing their rights.
- Criminal Investigation Department: The name was changed from Criminal Security to Criminal Investigation, due to its professional and academic dimensions, and combating cybercrimes and extortion among its specialties.
- Drug Control Department: The Ministry is currently working to develop its role in combating addiction by opening new addiction treatment centers and developing existing centers, in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
- Tourist Police Department: Specialized in securing tourist sites and their visitors. Its personnel will be trained to master foreign languages and deal with different nationalities.
- Border Guard Directorate: Ensuring the safety of Syria’s land and sea borders and combating illegal activities across them, in coordination with neighboring countries.
- Diplomatic Protection and Security Department: Concerned with securing vital facilities, government facilities, diplomatic missions, and dignitaries.
- Road Safety Management: Protects and secures main and semi-main roads, such as international roads, airport roads, as well as communication and information cables and power lines passing nearby.
- Special Task Force: Consists of several highly trained units with distinctive personnel characteristics, capable of confronting any threats such as riots, hostage-taking, or protecting major events.
- Counter-Terrorism Department: It is concerned with dismantling security threats within Syria, and is in close coordination with the General Intelligence Service.
- Human Resources Management: The Human Resources Department works to develop the Ministry’s personnel and utilize their energies in the best way possible to preserve Syria’s security.
Technology and research
The Ministry of Interior has established separate departments for communications and networks, information technology, cybersecurity, and communications security. Their purpose is to protect the privacy of ministry data and combat the threats of digital hacking and cybercrime.
The Ministry of Interior has also developed a traffic vision based on the smart city concept, where technology replaces the duties of traffic police officers, reducing the scope for corruption, increasing administrative efficiency, and speeding up case processing.
An academy for security and police sciences and research centers have also been established to provide the ministry with the necessary highly qualified personnel and accurate scientific research, contributing to the development of its work, according to the Interior Ministry spokesperson.
On April 16, Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab announced the future plans and ideas for his ministry’s work.
Khattab stated that the ministry will establish a representative in each governorate through a single official, instead of having a security directorate and police command. All branches and offices in the governorate will report to the ministry’s representative there, who will be responsible for both police and security.
A committee was also tasked with preparing a scientific and practical study to advance and develop the work of criminal investigations, in line with the need, by equipping criminal laboratories with the latest equipment and technology. The committee began its work a few days ago.
