The Syrian regime’s president, Bashar al-Assad, has issued a decree to increase the salaries of soldiers in the regime forces.

Today, Wednesday, December 4, the General Authority for Radio and Television in Syria reported that al-Assad issued Decree No. “28,” which stipulates an addition of 50% to the fixed salaries of soldiers covered by the provisions of the Military Service Law issued by Legislative Decree No. “18” of 2003 and its amendments.

This new salary increase comes amid losses and defections within the regime forces following advances by opposition factions in northwestern Syria.

Today, the Military Operations Administration affiliated with the opposition factions announced that they have begun receiving applications for provisional cards from defectors from the regime forces at several centers in the city of Aleppo.

The opposition factions have seized complete control of Aleppo city and most of its countryside, as well as the entire Idlib governorate, and continue their advance in Hama countryside, having reached the outskirts of the city since launching the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation on November 27, amid collapses within the regime forces.

The latest salary increase for soldiers was issued by al-Assad last February, which resulted in a 50% raise in military salaries.

At the end of 2023, al- Assad issued a decision to increase the “combat mission bonus for soldiers” across various ranks and formations.

The decision published by the Ministry of Defense in the regime’s government on December 30, 2023, raised the bonus from 10,000 to 100,000 Syrian pounds per month (approximately 7 dollars).

This decision was the second issued by al-Assad in December of the previous year concerning the increase in salaries and bonuses for his forces based on combat tasks.

On December 20, 2023, al-Assad issued a decision to raise the air allowance percentage for pilot officers on military aircraft.

The percentage increased from 4% to 35% of the fixed monthly salary according to the decision.

These increases announced by al-Assad come in the context of his efforts to reorganize within the military institution after 13 years of military operations.

Last year, the Syrian regime issued a series of decisions relating to the military institution, as the Director of the General Administration in the Ministry of Defense of the regime, Major General Ahmed Suleiman, stated during an interview with ‎Alikhbaria Syria, that these decisions aim to establish a “modern, advanced professional army, by order of Bashar al-Assad.”