Muhsen AlMustafa, a researcher assistant specializing in security and military affairs at the Omran Center for Strategic Studies, described the changes as “natural within the framework of the regime’s restructuring plan, noting that the pace of changes in security positions is slower than in military ones.” Regarding his appointment to head National Security, AlMustafa explained that a set of qualities qualifies him for the position, most importantly “his closeness to Bashar al-Assad, and previously to Bassel al-Assad, which rooted his loyalty to the regime, despite his lack of extensive experience in foreign affairs compared to Mamlouk.”

On the assumption that removing old faces and appointing new ones is aimed at improving the regime’s image in the security front, AlMustafa commented: “Getting rid of the old faces does not necessarily mean opening a new page, as the current officers are also subject to Western sanctions due to violations against the Syrian people that they committed in recent years.”