In the context of an interview conducted with him by the Russian “Rianovosti” agency on Saturday, Al-Baba revealed the existence of security agreements between Syria and a number of Arab and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey. He also confirmed that security coordination with Lebanon will be activated soon. He pointed out that these agreements cover areas of training, joint operations, and information exchange, considering that this cooperation embodies “Syria’s return to its Arab and regional surroundings.”
Al-Baba also pointed to the pivotal role that Russia can play in supporting and developing the security and police sector in Syria, by signing joint agreements in the event of mutual security threats, in addition to strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences in a way that serves the interests of both countries.
Regarding the file of wanted persons during the previous regime, the spokesperson explained that the figures circulating are inaccurate, stressing that “the real number is estimated at tens or hundreds of thousands, not millions as rumored.” He mentioned that the ministry is working to classify wanted persons according to the degree of involvement, so that those involved in murder or terrorism crimes are referred to the competent judiciary, while those involved in other matters are given an opportunity to reintegrate into society.
Regarding the accusations leveled against some security agencies of sectarian practices, especially on the Syrian coast and in areas with a Christian majority, Al-Baba stressed the importance of distinguishing between individual errors and systematic practices, stressing that “sectarianism is completely rejected and contradicts the state’s policy and the principles of the revolution, which was based on justice, freedom, and dignity.”
The spokesperson spoke about the crisis of identification papers suffered by millions of Syrians, noting that the ministry has issued more than one million passports and millions of other official documents since the beginning of liberation. He added that work is underway to complete the full digital transformation in the coming months, with the aim of speeding up procedures and improving the quality of services, explaining that the issuance of IDs and official documents is linked to the process of updating the state’s visual identity and conducting a comprehensive population census to ensure the accuracy of national data.
Since the fall of the former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, a new authority headed by President Ahmed al-Shara’a has been managing the country’s affairs, which has launched an integrated program to rebuild the state’s security, economic, and social institutions after more than fourteen years of war, within the framework of a national path aimed at consolidating security and stability and restoring Syria to its natural position in the region.
