DAMASCUS

Anadolu on Wednesday captured images of the ousted Assad regime’s intelligence center in Syria’s southern al-Suwayda province.

The General Intelligence Center sheds light on how the Assad regime monitored the Syrian population, based on documents discovered after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule on Dec. 8.

Anadolu managed to document the General Intelligence Center in al-Suwayda, where locals were seen guarding the building’s entrance to prevent looting, theft, or disturbances.

Residents described how regime soldiers had set fire to key documents and offices in the center’s archives before fleeing.

Several documents labeled as “Top Secret” revealed that the regime’s intelligence services had been monitoring Syrians living in countries such as Türkiye, Jordan, and Qatar.

The documents also contained intelligence on personal relationships, business disputes, rivalries, and foreign companies operating in the area.

Statues and portraits of Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad, which were once prominently displayed in security and state buildings, were found destroyed.

Locals said the regime’s authority had eroded significantly in recent years, with unified community responses emerging whenever a resident was arrested.

Residents recounted instances of abducting regime security personnel to negotiate the release of detainees held by the regime.

Russian traces at intelligence center

In the lower floors of the building, numerous Russian-made weapons and ammunition boxes were discovered.

The commanding officer’s office stood out with a more luxurious interior design compared to other rooms in the building.

Among the scattered documents and papers, Russian-language books, brochures, and flags were also found.

Al-Suwayda, located southeast of Damascus, is predominantly Christian but is also home to various other sects and ethnic groups, including the Druze, a symbolic minority in the region.

Due to its mountainous terrain and proximity to Israel, the region has hosted several of the regime’s military bases.

Following the fall of the Baath regime on Dec. 8, Israel launched intense airstrikes targeting the area’s military installations.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul