Syria plans to begin the phased demobilization of tens of thousands of reservists starting next month, according to a defense ministry official. Major General Ahmed Sleiman announced on Syrian state television that this demobilization will continue until the end of the year and into the next, while maintaining combat readiness and serving the interests of the people.
The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, has resulted in more than half a million deaths and displaced millions. The Syrian army comprises volunteers, conscripts from compulsory military service, and reservists who can be called back to duty at any time.
Over the years, the army has repeatedly extended the terms of reservists and conscripts beyond their compulsory service period. Sleiman outlined a three-phase demobilization plan that will run until October 2025, eventually reducing reserve service to a maximum of two years.
The goal is to create a more advanced army that relies on voluntary enlistment. Under a new volunteer contract, those who have completed five years of service and do not wish to continue will be discharged. Volunteers who have served for 10 years will be exempted from all reserve service.
The military has announced several demobilizations since the conflict began. In a 2015 interview, President Bashar al-Assad emphasized the importance of volunteer fighters, stating that the army would not have been able to sustain the prolonged war without them.
With support from Iran and Russia, Assad has regained much of the territory lost in the early years of the conflict. According to a 2021 European Union asylum agency report, avoiding conscription has been a major reason for young men fleeing Syria and a key obstacle to their return.
In the early years of the war, the military faced significant losses due to casualties, defections, and draft-dodging, which experts say reduced its force by half from its original 300,000.
