General Security Service (Syria)
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname = General Security Service
| nativenamea = {{lang|ar|جهاز الأمن العام}}
| nativenamer =
| commonname = Syrian Police, General Security Forces
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| logo = Logo General Security Service (Syria).png
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| formedyear = 29 May 1945 (as Public Security Police){{cite book|last1=Lawson|first1=Fred Haley|title=Why Syria Goes to War: Thirty Years of Confrontation|date=1996|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca, USA|page=163|isbn=9781501731860|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XlpuDwAAQBAJ}}
2019 (General Security Service){{cite news |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syrian-free-police-disband-following-hts-militant-takeover-idlib |title=Syrian Free Police disband following HTS militant takeover in Idlib |last=al-Aswad |first=Harun |website=Middle East Eye |date=16 January 2019 |access-date=7 February 2025}}
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| preceding1 = Levantine Special Forces
| preceding2 =Public Security Police
| preceding3 = Free Syrian Police
| preceding4 = Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
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| country = Syrian Arab Republic
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| national = Yes
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| sizepopulation = 18,437,288
| legaljuris =
| governingbody = Syrian transitional government
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| police = Yes
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| oversightbody = Government of Syria
| headquarters = Damascus, Syria
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| minister1pfo =
| chief1name = Ahmed al-Sharaa
| chief1position = President
| chief2name = Anas Khattab
| chief2position = Minister of Interior
| parentagency = Ministry of Interior
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The General Security Service ({{langx|ar|جهاز الأمن العام}}) is the main police service of Syria. It is charged with maintaining law and order, protecting life and property and investigating crimes. It also performs other routine police functions, including traffic control.
History
The General Security Service was the police force of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controlled areas in Northern Syria replacing the Free Syrian Police before it was transferred to the interior ministry of the Syrian Salvation Government in April 2024.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=7 April 2024 |title=Reforms in Idlib: Charting a Path Forward |url=https://levant24.com/news/2024/04/reforms-in-idlib-charting-a-path-forward/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |website=Levant24 |language=en-US}} Its roots could be traced to 1945 when the Public Security Police was formed. A police academy was opened in September 2023 and produced its first batch of graduates in August 2024.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=30 September 2023 |title=SSG Ministry of Interior Opens First Police College in Greater Idlib |url=https://levant24.com/news/2023/09/ssg-ministry-of-interior-opens-first-police-college-in-greater-idlib/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |website=Levant24 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=15 August 2024 |title=Police Academy Graduation Marks New Milestone in Northern Syria's Development |url=https://levant24.com/news/2024/08/police-academy-graduation-marks-new-milestone-in-northern-syrias-development/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=Levant24}}
The Ba'athist-led Public Security Police collapsed in 2024 with the fall of the Assad regime and flight of Bashar al-Assad. HTS brought the General Security Service from Idlib to maintain order and security in recently captured areas in the country. The new de-facto rulers of Syria, the Syrian Transitional Government, are making preparations to drastically reorganize the General Security Service as Syria's police force.{{cite news|last1=Ismail|first1=Amina|last2=Ashawi|first2=Khalil |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/ |title=Syria's new leaders turn to Islamic law in effort to rebuild Assad's police |publisher=Reuters|date=23 January 2025 |access-date=6 March 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://thearabweekly.com/syrias-rulers-spark-concern-they-bring-idlib-sharia-based-police-training |title=Syria’s rulers spark concern as they bring from Idlib sharia-based police training |publisher=The Arab Weekly |access-date=7 February 2025}}
Syria is in dire need of security forces, as the Public Security Police had dissolved the same day as fall of the Assad regime. Heavy recruitment is still ongoing and needed.
References
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See also
{{Syria-stub}}
{{Police}}
{{Asia topic|Law enforcement in}}
{{Syria topics}}
{{Authority control}}