Head of the Syrian Intelligence Service Hussein al-Salama linked stability in Syria to supporting Syrians by granting them real economic opportunities and pursuing reconstruction, while pointing to cooperation with international partners in the counter-terrorism track.
Speaking at the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Conference in New York on Monday, June 29, al-Salama said the stability sought by the world requires real support and a “sincere” stance to help the Syrian people, through granting them real economic opportunities, reconstruction, and “matching words with actions,” according to his expression.
He added that international partners now view Damascus as a key partner in regional stability, but noted that Syria needs targeted and organized support for institutions, not short-term projects that leave no sustainable impact.
He said Syria had regained its sovereignty and independent decision-making after liberation, and had rebuilt its national institutions and its regional and international relations.
He affirmed Syria’s commitment to leading “counter-terrorism” efforts on its territory according to its national priorities and in line with international law.
He noted that Syria is open to international cooperation based on capacity building, information exchange, support for communities, resolving the issue of camps and detention, and drying up sources of funding and recruitment to ensure that “terrorism” does not return.
Government Goals
Al-Salama said the government had set goals that begin with protecting Syrian national security, contributing to the security of neighboring countries, and engaging “effectively” in international “counter-terrorism” efforts.
The government also focused on preventing what he called “extremist organizations” from returning, drying up their sources of funding, and strengthening security, judicial, and intelligence cooperation with international partners.
He noted that this track is not limited to the security aspect alone, but adopts a comprehensive humanitarian approach that places justice at the forefront of its priorities and addresses economic and social challenges in parallel.
Al-Salama considered that what he described as the “criminal practices” of the former regime and the “failure” of the international community formed a dangerous turning point that turned Syria during that period into a “fertile environment for extremism and terrorism.”
Today, however, the main track Damascus is emphasizing is Syria’s transition from managing crises to making sustainable decisions, according to al-Salama.
Islamic State, “Remnants,” Hezbollah, and Israel
Al-Salama stressed that Syria faces challenges that go beyond the terrorism of the Islamic State group to include cells affiliated with the “remnants of the Assad regime” and others linked to Lebanese Hezbollah.
He also pointed to tensions in southern Syria, referring to Israel’s threat to Syria and its undermining of stability through incursions, shelling, and arrests of civilians.
What al-Salama referred to in his remarks is linked to the events witnessed in the village of Abidin, west of Daraa Governorate (southern Syria), where Israeli occupation forces targeted Abidin with artillery shells and gunfire from a helicopter.
The Syrian government, during the period following the fall of the former Syrian regime, worked to fight the Islamic State group with participation from the US-led international coalition.
At the same time, government forces continue to face repeated attacks by the group, as the latter targets government headquarters and personnel, especially military personnel.
They have also been subjected to several attacks in which the government accused those it calls “remnants,” meaning elements linked to the former regime, in addition to cells from Hezbollah, which is accused of carrying out operations in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
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