Syria's Interior Minister Khattab Now Oversees Entire Security Apparatus After National Security Bureau Appointment

On July 19, 2026, President al-Sharaa appointed Interior Minister Anas Khattab head of the National Security Bureau, which coordinates all Syrian security agencies. Khattab retains the interior portfolio, and the new General Intelligence Service chief, Abdul Qader Tahan, now sits under his legal authority. Three core security levers — policing, intelligence coordination, and the GIS — run through one minister.