Damascus, Dec 5 (IANS): Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree granting a 50 per cent salary increase to military personnel, as government forces engage in major battles with rebel forces on several fronts in northern and central Syria.

According to the decree issued on Wednesday, the pay raise applies to all military personnel and will be added to their basic salaries effective on the date of the decree's issuance, Xinhua news agency reported.

The salary boost comes as Syrian government troops intensify operations against rebel forces in key regions, including Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib provinces.

Rebel forces have stepped up their attacks on northern Syria since last week, capturing Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city.

On Tuesday, the Syrian military announced it had sent significant reinforcements to the central province of Hama to bolster front-line defenses as rebel factions advance in western-central Syria.

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 per cent of the fixed monthly salary according to the decision.

These increases announced by al-Assad come in the context of his efforts to reorganise 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 Defence of the regime, Major General Ahmed Suleiman, stated during an interview with ?Alikhbaria Syria, that these decisions aimed to establish a "modern, advanced professional army, by order of Bashar al-Assad".