In a report by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the data was based on several sources, including studies and research papers published by the Omran Center, including the paper "Chain of Command and Order," which was used as a reference in the report.
Muhsen AlMustafa spoke about the circumstances of appointing the new defense minister in the Syrian regime’s government, stressing that military hierarchy is required and respected according to the Military Service Law, but the circumstances in Syria allow the regime to bypass it. The Military Service Law stipulates that promotion rules are not binding during wartime, and promotion to the rank of General is carried out by selecting from among the officers holding the rank of Major General who have served at least four years in that rank, and this promotion is issued by decree.
Muhsen AlMustafa, believes that "the appointment of Major General Ali Mahmoud Abbas as Minister of Defense is illogical, as he is not the most senior officer after General Ali Ayoub, especially since many generals in the army are more senior than him." Al-Mustafa told Al-Istiqlal: "This is why Abbas was promoted to the rank of General. He has also never commanded a military division or a corps like the other ministers since the era of General Mustafa Tlass, making him the first defense minister to hold the rank of Major General since 1972."
In a March study, Muhsen al-Mustafa, a researcher for the Carnegie Middle East Center, stated that “every single one of the top 40 posts in the Syrian armed forces was held by a member of President Assad’s Alawite sect.” He added, “The entire Syrian military is not built on one particular sect. But in recent years the institution has been characterized by an unprecedented degree of sectarianism.
Muhsen AlMustafa a déclaré à "L’Orient-Le Jour" que « le régime veut en effet réduire le caractère confessionnel des forces armées en plaçant un officier sunnite à l’avant-scène, alors qu’en réalité, le commandement effectif des forces revient à des officiers alaouites, puisque les postes militaires et les centres principaux de l’armée sont dirigés par des officiers issus de la communauté alaouite. Il a ajouté que le rôle du ministre Ali Abbas se concentrera sur les aspects administratifs et la coordination avec les autres institutions publiques, d’autant plus qu’il n’a jamais commandé de division ni d’organisme militaire. »
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Muhsen AlMustafa told "L’Orient-Le Jour" that "the regime indeed wants to reduce the sectarian nature of the armed forces by placing a Sunni officer at the forefront of events, while in reality, the actual leadership of the forces belongs to Alawite officers, since the military positions and the main centers in the army are led by officers from the Alawite sect. He added that Minister Ali Abbas’s role will focus on administrative aspects and coordination with other public institutions, especially since he has never commanded a division or a military body."
