Syrian regime head Bashar al Assad appointed on Sunday Brigadier General Riad Abbas as commander of national military police, after having already assigned Brigadier Suhail al-Hassan as commander of the military operations in Eastern Ghouta.
Both appointments share Russian approval, bringing Brig. Hassan’s ‘Tiger Forces’ troopers to Damascus’ countryside.
Brig.Gen. Abbas enjoys a high approval rate with having already been honored by Russian leaders at the Hmeimim Air Base in Syria for his performance as head of the military police in Aleppo and then as head of the political security branch.
The appointment of a new commander of the Syrian military police has been accepted by Russia, at a time when the attack on Eastern Ghouta in the countryside of Damascus, amid the insistence of Russia to restore order to control it.
Brig. Gen. Abbas is popular among pro-regime loyalists in Aleppo because of his contempt for dissidents-- his units rely heavily on informants and spies.
He was also named in a list prepared by the Human Rights Bureau documenting violations on 30 regime commanders responsible for carrying out “crimes against humanity” in Syria.
Since the start of the Russian military intervention in Syria in 2015, Assad’s regime has been intently concerned with the military police, which is responsible for regulating military behavior.
Military police are also responsible for holding persons who have avoided joining the draft and reserve accountable.
But in light of the current national security situation, security services and civil police interfere with the military police’s mission.
It is noteworthy that after regime forces reclaimed control over Aleppo, the need arose for military police to take control of the security situation and reduce pro-regime factions and allied militias’ violations.
Russian military police, which spread in Aleppo from the end of 2016, returned 393 Chechen fighters into their country. Its presence has reduced, as it began gradual withdrawal in 2018.
During the past few months, the Syrian regime has strongly reshuffled its military and security apparatus.
General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub was appointed defense minister early this year. The heads of military security in Aleppo, Hama, Tartous and Idlib were also changed.
