Syrian Interior Minister: Major Operations Conducted Against ISIS and Captagon Smuggling Networks

He announced that during joint operations against ISIS, several senior commanders—including the governor of Homs—were arrested, while millions of Captagon pills and 14 production workshops across various provinces were seized. He emphasized that after Syria’s liberation, security institutions have faced the dual challenge of rebuilding public trust and establishing lasting stability.

Khattab’s remarks reflect the new Syrian government’s effort to project a different image of the country’s security apparatus in the post‑Assad era. The emphasis on historic transformation and institutional reconstruction suggests that the security establishment is seeking political and operational distance from the legacy of the former regime.

At a time when public opinion still recalls the atrocities of recent months in Syria’s coastal and southern regions, showcasing security successes is being used as a pathway to build domestic legitimacy.