Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba confirmed that the fall of the former regime led to increased activity by ISIS, which exploited the resulting chaos to obtain weapons from the remnants of the ousted regime.
He pointed out that the organization attempted to infiltrate sites belonging to the Syrian Ministry of Defense and sought to recruit members from the remnants of the former regime into its ranks.
Al-Baba explained that the recent security operation against ISIS cells involved several security agencies, emphasizing that Syria's security departments now operate as a single team within the framework of the new state.
He noted increased coordination with Syria's neighboring countries to combat the threat of ISIS, considering it a cross-border threat.
The spokesman revealed that a joint security meeting was recently held between Syria and neighboring countries to discuss ways to confront ISIS, as well as efforts to combat arms and drug smuggling.
He emphasized that Iran was one of the sources of this smuggling through its support for sectarian militias in the past.
He concluded by saying that defected officers today constitute a fundamental pillar of the structure of the new Syrian state and are partners in maintaining security and combating terrorism.
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