Introduction
How is the Military in Syria and how does it work to maintain Sucity and fight terrorism? In terms of Military and security forces, we have the the interim government authorities in Syria have established a Ministry of Defense and are attempting to unify the dozens of armed factions operating in Syria under a single, state-linked army; it has also established a Ministry of Interior to manage police and other security forces (2025).
In Syria, as of September 2025, the government did not exercise control over all of Syria; areas of the northeast were under the control of ethnic Kurdish-led forces and areas south of the capital Damascus were controlled by members of the Druze religious minority; Turkish forces remained in parts of the north, while Israeli forces had moved into formerly demilitarized areas between Syria and Israel and into some Syrian territory near the frontier
the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF has about 1,300 personnel (2025)
the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF has about 1,300 personnel (2025)
Security and military information of Syria
| Military and security service personnel strengths | not available |
|---|---|
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | prior to the fall of the ASAD regime in December 2024, the SAF was inventory was comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2024) |
| Military service age and obligation | prior to the fall of the ASAD regime in December 2024, men 18-42 were obligated to perform military service; compulsory service obligation was up to 30 months; women were not conscripted but could volunteer to serve, including in combat arms (2024). |
| Military deployments | . |
| Military expenditures | |
| Military Expenditures 2019 | 6.5% of GDP (2019 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2018 | 6.7% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2017 | 6.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2016 | 6.9% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Military Expenditures 2015 | 7.2% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Terrorism
In Syria, the different Terrorist group(s) inlcude: Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front (PLF); Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command (PLFP-GC)
All Important Facts about Syria
Want to know more about Syria? Check all different factbooks for Syria below.
