Syria appoints new intelligence chief as restructuring begins
Syria's new leadership has appointed Anas Khattab as the head of the country's intelligence services, according to local media reports.
This move forms part of ongoing efforts to restructure state institutions following the downfall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Caliber.Az reports via Arab media.
Khattab, 37, is originally from Jayrud, a town located in the Damascus countryside.
The announcement comes after Bashar al-Assad, who had led Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on December 8 following the capture of Damascus by anti-regime forces.
This marked the end of the Baath Party's rule, which had governed Syria since 1963.
Meanwhile, Murhaf Abu Kasra has been appointed as Syria's defence minister as part of the newly formed transitional government. Abu Kasra, formerly the commander of the military wing of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group banned in Russia, played a significant role in the recent overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
In addition, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani has been named Syria’s foreign minister. This follows the Free Syrian Army’s announcement, supported by the US and Türkiye, marking the end of Assad's rule.
The opposition launched a major offensive in northern Syria in late November, which culminated in the fall of major cities and the Assad regime.
By Aghakazim Guliyev