Law enforcement in Syria

Police emblem of the Damascus Governorate
A traffic policeman in Damascus

Law enforcement in Syria is carried out by the Public Security Police, which is a force for general policing duties; internal security duties are carried out by different intelligence agencies. The Political Security Directorate is one of these agencies and is under the guidance of the Ministry of Interior of the Syrian government. The Directorate is used for covert intelligence gathering and internal security issues within Syria. Syria has been an INTERPOL member since 1953.[1][2] Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War, much of Syria has been outside the control of the Syrian government. Currently, the Asayish are responsible for policing in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Police in areas under the Turkish occupation of northern Syria, and various Syrian opposition groups around Idlib[3][4]

Syrian riot police in central Damascus

The Ministry of Interior controls the Internal Security Forces. There are also other specialized organizations, such as the special metropolitan police in Damascus (overseen by the Director General of the Public Security and Police), the Gendarmerie for control in rural areas and the Border Guard for border control (especially the Syria-Iraq border).[5] General Nasser Deeb is the head of the Criminal Security Directorate.[6]

The Internal Security Forces Day is on 29 May, the anniversary of French forces shelling the Parliament building in Damascus in 1945.[7]

  1. ^ "Syria". Interpol. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. ^ "How Syrians are Using Cyber Community Policing to Fight Terrorism". 12 May 2017.
  3. ^ Serwer, Daniel; Youhana, Rose; Preston, Katherine (30 September 2016). "Analysis: What Syrians Can Expect in a Post-War Landscape". News Deeply. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  4. ^ Zaman, Amberin (25 January 2017). "Syria's new national security force pledges loyalty to Turkey". Al Monitor. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  5. ^ Burgat, François (28 April 2014). "Testimony of General Ahmed Tlass on the Syrian Regime and the Repression". NORIA. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Syria's security reshuffle highlights Russia's consolidation of power". amec.org.za. Afro-Middle East Centre. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  7. ^ "29th May, Syrian Internal Security Forces Day". Syrian Arab News Agency. Syrian Arab News Agency. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2016.