Syria’s Minister of Interior, Anas Khattab, announced on Friday, October 31, that the committee formed after last September’s expanded meeting with officers who had defected from the former regime has completed its work, having interviewed candidates in preparation for their return to service within the ministry.
According to a statement from Khattab, the committee finished its work over the past two days after interviewing more than 260 law-degree officers who are inside Syria and ready to rejoin work.
Khattab said the committee will submit a proposal to reassign officers across departments that best serve institutional needs.
He welcomed the return of officers still outside Syria and invited those unable to report to the Ministry of Interior to register via a link that will be published on the ministry’s official channels.
Khattab explained that the next stage will see “strengthening human resources and raising work quality by drawing on previous expertise and training male and female staff across specializations under ‘well-studied and advanced’ plans.”
The return of defected officers to ministry ranks falls within the pathways the ministry set after approving its latest structure, Khattab noted.
On September 11, the Interior Minister met with a number of officers who had defected from the former regime.
During the meeting, he outlined ways to bolster security and stability and to contribute effectively to building a new Syria by benefiting from their national experience in service of the country, according to the Interior Ministry.
The minister discussed current priorities, which include tightening discipline, developing staff, intensifying training programs, and enhancing the efficiency of security bodies to ensure the best services for citizens.
Khattab also reviewed proposals and initiatives submitted by the defected officers to improve security performance, address practical obstacles, provide the right conditions for duty performance, and strengthen professional capacities.
What role for defected officers?
After the 2011 Syrian uprising, defections spread within the regime army. Many joined the Free Syrian Army, while others remained unaffiliated with armed groups.
Following the fall of the former regime, the Ministry of Defense formed specialized committees to receive applications from defected officers and organize their records by rank, specialization, and set criteria, as well as to summon defectors and those dismissed for security or political reasons.
The Defense Ministry says it gives priority to reintegrating defected officers for their accumulated military and technical expertise. It has begun appointing some to leadership posts as part of a broader plan to capitalize on their skills in building the new Syrian army, with ongoing study of further appointments based on need and the requirements of the coming phase.
According to the ministry, more than 2,000 defected officers are currently serving in the Syrian army out of 3,500 who have been interviewed.
Military affairs researcher Rashid Hourani told Enab Baladi that 85% of defected officers have been placed in directorates and units matching their military specializations, with roles focused on organization and training.
By contrast, researcher and journalist Moataz al-Sayyid at the Syrian Center for Security and Defense Studies (Misdad) believes there are challenges in absorbing some defectors who have been out of service for long periods, surpassed combat age, or missed regular requalification. This, he said, makes their roles largely symbolic rather than genuinely leadership-level, limiting their contribution to training, development, administrative and logistical work, and operational oversight.
