Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab stated that the ministry's mission after the fall of the former regime is difficult and complex, especially in light of the heavy security legacy left behind by the intelligence services, which, he said, were a constant source of terror for Syrians.
In an interview with the Syrian Al-Ikhbariya channel, Khattab explained that the mission assigned to the ministry includes changing citizens' perceptions of security. He added that the ministry's new vision relied on studying the experiences of many countries in using modern technology in security work, which led to the proposal to restructure the Ministry of Interior and merge the security and police forces into a single agency.
The minister indicated that the ministry's new direction aims to "erase names like State Security, Political Security, and Air Security from the memory of Syrians." He emphasized that the ministry has created new departments, including the "Counter-Terrorism Department," which is responsible for pursuing remnants of the regime and ISIS; the "Road Security Department," which is concerned with maintaining safety on public roads; and the "Border Guard Department," which was previously under the Ministry of Defense.
Khattab emphasized that the country faces major security challenges, requiring "a single security leader in each governorate." He noted that ISIS is one of the most dangerous of these challenges, and that security services have thwarted its attempts targeting Christians and Shiites.
Regarding the events on the coast, the minister revealed that these events began with attacks and sieges of security points in the region. He added that violations occurred during these events, and committees have been formed to investigate them. He also confirmed that attempts by remnants of the former regime's officers to destabilize the coast continue.
Regarding the drug issue, Khattab announced that the ministry has eliminated the drug industry in Syria, but noted that smuggling remains a security challenge.
He revealed "daily seizures of drug shipments intended for export," stressing that "there are no longer any Captagon factories." He added, "During the era of the former regime, Syria was the world's leading producer of Captagon, and we have worked to end this since the first day of liberation, closing dozens of factories."
The Minister of Interior noted ongoing cooperation with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey in the fight against the Captagon trade, noting that the ministry will begin treating drug users in the next phase by opening addiction treatment centers.
Regarding the prison issue, the minister said that the ministry plans to build new prisons that adhere to modern humanitarian and legal standards. He added that "hundreds of thousands suffered in the prisons of the former regime because they did not adhere to any standards, were not subject to any oversight, and were all unfit to receive inmates."
He explained that "the new prison administration will work to rehabilitate convicts rather than harm them," revealing that members of the former regime burned down many security branches to conceal evidence against them.
Regarding appointments within the ministry, he explained that "the assistants to the Minister of Interior were appointed by the presidency and announced by the ministry so that people would recognize them." He noted that the ministry will include officers who did not defect from the former regime and whose hands were not stained with blood.
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