The head of Syria's General Intelligence Service, Hussein al-Salameh, stressed that the Syrian government is working to protect Syria's national security, contribute to the security of its neighborhood, and engage "effectively" in international efforts to "combat terrorism."
During the United Nations counter-terrorism conference held in New York on Monday (June 29th), Salameh pointed out that the government is focusing on preventing the return of what he called "extremist organizations", drying up their sources of funding, and strengthening security, judicial and intelligence cooperation with international partners.
This track is not limited to the security aspect only, but adopts a comprehensive humanitarian approach that puts justice at the forefront of its priorities and addresses economic and social challenges in parallel, he said.
ISIS, the "remnants" and "Hezbollah"
Salameh stressed that the new Syria faces challenges that go beyond the terrorism of the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" to cells affiliated with the "remnants of the Assad regime" and others linked to the Lebanese "Hezbollah".
He said what he described as the "criminal practices" of the former regime and the international community's "inaction" marked a dangerous turning point in turning Syria into a "fertile environment for extremism and terrorism".
Today, he said, the main path that Damascus emphasizes is Syria's transition from the stage of crisis management to the stage of sustainable decision-making, according to Salameh.
In his speech, he referred to the "tensions" in southern Syria, referring to Israel's threat to Syria and its destabilization, through incursions, shelling and arrests against civilians.
What Al-Salameh said in his speech is related to the events that took place in the village of Abdeen, west of Daraa governorate, last night, where the Israeli occupation forces targeted the village of Abdeen with artillery shells and helicopter fire.
Al-Salama calls for support for the fight against terrorism
The head of the intelligence service said that achieving stability in Syria requires real support that reflects directly on the lives of Syrians, by providing real economic opportunities and launching reconstruction projects with a sustainable impact, stressing that the next stage needs an "honest stance" from the international community and the need to pair words with deeds.
International partners are now viewing Damascus as a key pillar of regional stability, Salameh said, but stressed that Syria needs support directed at national institutions rather than short-term initiatives that do not yield tangible results.
Al-Salameh pointed out that Syria regained its sovereignty and independent decision after liberation, and rebuilt its regional and international institutions and relations, stressing its commitment to lead counter-terrorism efforts in accordance with its national priorities and in accordance with international law.
Damascus is open to international co-operation in the areas of capacity building, information exchange and community support, he said, as well as addressing the issue of camps and detention, and drying up sources of funding and recruitment, to ensure that terrorism does not return.
United Nations Holds Highest Counter-Terrorism Conference
The Fourth High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Services of Member States, which will run on Monday and Tuesday (29 and 30 June 2026), kicked off at the United Nations Secretariat in New York, under the theme "A Future Free of Terrorism: Strengthening Global Commitment to a Multilateral Approach".
The opening sessions witnessed unprecedented Syrian participation, with the first official presence of the head of the General Intelligence Service in the corridors of the United Nations, after years during which Syrian intelligence chiefs – under the former regime – were seen as names on international sanctions lists.
The conference sets the stage for the General Assembly debates on Wednesday and Thursday to approve the ninth review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is being drafted by the representatives of Finland and Morocco, amid growing international interest in developing joint response mechanisms.
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