Damascus, Syria - December 21, 2024 The current Syrian government has opened "reconciliation centers" across the country where rank and file military and security personnel can submit their weapons and IDs and reintegrate into society, following a decision to dissolve all military and security apparatuses linked to the ousted government of Bashar al-Assad. Fearing retribution and hoping for a future career with the new government, hundreds of security and military personnel as well as police have flocked to one of the two reconciliation centers in Damascus. But the center's capacity is not enough for all the people who want to regularize their status with the new de-facto government. The decision was taken by the head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Ahmad Alsharaa, to grant amnesty to conscripted military personnel and lower-ranking police and security officers who used to work for the former government. The HTS is a Sunni Islamist political and paramilitary organization involved in the Syrian civil war. Those who come to the center will line up with many others. Once inside, they must submit all weapons and documents that show they were working with the ousted government. Then they will receive a paper that enables them to pass security checkpoints of the new transition government without any persecution. But the steps taken by the interim government have provoked anger and uncertainty among former soldiers and policemen who want to join the process. They say they do not know what will happen next after handing over their weapons, and their personal safety and future income are their major concerns right now. The soldiers, police and other government personnel also have a strong knowledge of the domestic affairs in Syria. If they do not return to their roles, some fear the country will struggle to find the manpower and experience needed to run a state that has been ravaged by war and is in need of economic revitalization. With more than 700 aerial attacks by Israel on Syrian military weapon stockpiles and the current move by the HTS-led government to dissolve the military and security forces nationwide, the risk of a security vacuum is mounting. Militant groups including ISIS are waiting for an opportunity to seize control in a bid for power. These realities bring greater instability to Syria, which is already facing a multitude of vulnerabilities in the post-Assad era. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Dec 21, 2024: 1. Various of people gathering in front of reconciliation center, waiting, talking to guards by gate; 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Major Abdulraham Talha, Ministry of Interior (starting with shot 1/partially overlaid with shot 3): "The main goal is to regulate the old regime's conscripts, whether they are security, police or military, whether they worked in the army, intelligence, police or the auxiliary troops. The weapons must be carried only by the government so it can contain any illegal actions."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 3. People sitting on lawn; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. Various of people waiting in hall, submitting weapon, going through registration process in office; 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdulraham Talha, major, Ministry of Interior (partially overlaid with shot 6): "Our insurgents are disciplined and the order by the head of the administration is clear to all. Our goal is only to reinforce the law and security and so far the security situation is fine. We also aim at bringing those people to be part of society once again."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Gun magazines in box; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 7. Various of people gathering in front of reconciliation center; 8. People talking with reporter; 9. Guard outside reconciliation center; 10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rami Watfah, communication officer, Syrian military (partially overlaid with shot 11): "It was known that our salaries in the army and police were too small but those salaries were somehow enough to make ends meet. For me and all the people who are joining the reconciliation, we want to know about our salaries. Before joining the army, I graduated from university, asking them what about that degree and they said 'good luck'. I have not been paid for one month and now I have no money. How can I live?"; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 11. Various of people waiting outside reconciliation center; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khoder Alabed, policeman (partially overlaid with shot 13/ending with shot 14): "My job in the police is to serve the citizens. There is a new government now and they opened up for reconciliation and I am here to join the process. I am used to working in the police. All my colleagues at the police have families and small kids to support. We cannot just start new jobs from scratch. If they allow us to return to our work then the majority of us will rejoin the ranks."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 13. People waiting outside reconciliation center; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 14. People waiting outside reconciliation center; 15. People entering center; 16. Various of guards by the gate. [Restriction - No Access Chinese Mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]