The Syrian army intends to demobilize tens of thousands from reserve service starting next month in a first phase, after the fighting has largely stopped in recent years.
The Director General of the General Administration of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, Major General Ahmed Youssef Suleiman, said in an interview with Syrian official television, that “tens of thousands will be demobilized until the end of this year and the same number next year while maintaining combat readiness and achieving the interests of the people of the country.”
In total, the Syrian army includes three main groups: volunteers in the military, those enrolled in compulsory military service, and those assigned to reserve service.
It is noteworthy that before the outbreak of the internal conflict, the authorities required young men, upon reaching the age of 18, to perform compulsory service for a period ranging from one and a half to two years. After the end of this period, each young man is given a reserve number and the authorities can summon him at any time to join the ranks of the army, especially in emergency situations.
But after the outbreak of the conflict, these young men served for many years. The Army Command has repeatedly extended the period of reserve service, currently set at six years.
Source: Sky News
