In 2015, an investigative report by Zaman al-Wasl revealed one of the most dangerous deception operations carried out by the Syrian regime. It distributed more than 63,000 forged police ID cards to officers and members of its army and security services, with the aim of deceiving the Arab League observer mission and presenting them as members of the "Internal Security Forces" and "Civil Police."
The investigation, titled "The Great Deception," was based on official documents dating back to 2011, during the Arab League mission's tenure in Syria.
Zaman al-Wasl reopens this file not only as a reminder, but also to highlight the continued use of these ID cards to this day to exonerate those involved in crimes against Syrians, as recently happened with an intelligence executioner who displayed a civilian ID card to mislead judicial authorities.
The Largest Documented Deception Operation
The documents published by the newspaper include lists of thousands of officers from the regime's army and intelligence who were provided with fake Internal Security Forces and civilian ID cards. These lists are the largest of their kind to date, documented by full name, rank, military ID number, and the units in which each officer served.
Documents show that the Syrian regime printed these forged cards in four stages, beginning just before the arrival of the Arab League observer mission to Damascus on December 22, 2011. The total number of cards distributed reached 63,599, distributed to:
- 5,500 members of the Fourth Division, effectively commanded by Major General Maher al-Assad.
- 4,500 members of the Republican Guard.
- 3,500 members of the Special Forces.
- Approximately 4,800 members and officers of Military Intelligence and Air Force Intelligence.
The remaining cards were distributed to various sectors and governorates, as part of a comprehensive camouflage operation.
High-ranking officers at the forefront of the deception
The lists reveal that the regime did not limit its deception to field personnel, but rather involved its senior officers in this deception. The list included 91 officers in the "princely officer" category, including two brigadier generals and 89 brigadier generals.
- Major General Ali Muhammad Dergham: The de facto commander of the Fourth Division, close to the head of the regime. He has been subject to EU sanctions since early 2012.
- Major General Omar Abdullah al-Jabawi: The former commander of the Tenth Division, originally from the city of Izraa in the Daraa countryside.
Forged IDs after the Mission Ended
Although the Arab League observer mission ended less than a month later (from December 22, 2011 to January 15, 2012), many officers and personnel retained these forged IDs, which are still used today as false exoneration documents.
The Fingerprint of Powerful Families
A review and analysis of the lists revealed a large number of officers belonging to influential families close to the regime:
From the Assad family: Lieutenant Colonel Mu'ayyad Shafiq al-Assad.
From the Shalish family: First Lieutenant Sa'ir Ahmad Shalish and Captain Wassim Bahjat Shalish.
From the Makhlouf family: 16 officers, most notably Brigadier General Nouris Hamed Makhlouf and Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Aziz Makhlouf.
From the Barakat family: 14 officers.
From the Khaddour family: 43 officers of various ranks.
The lists also included dozens of officers from other families known for their ties to the security and military establishment, such as Jadid, Ma'ala, Haidar, Ghanem, Saqr, Miya, and Zayoud.
The Deception Continues
What these documents reveal today, more than a decade after the failed Arab League observer mission, is that the regime was not only seeking to conceal its crimes, but also to craft an alternative narrative by forging identities and positions.
What's more alarming is that some perpetrators of these crimes continue to hide behind this false narrative to avoid accountability. This reinforces the importance of reopening this file, not as an archival document, but as compelling evidence that must be included in any transitional justice process.
Exclusive Photos and Readiness to Cooperate
In this context, Zaman al-Wasl is publishing a number of photos of officers and personnel who received forged ID cards, to document this crime and counter any attempts to exonerate or evade responsibility.
The newspaper also affirms its willingness to hand over the full list to the Syrian state if requested to do so by an official body concerned with the justice and accountability process.
Zaman Al Wasl
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