▁branches ▁in ▁Sy ria : ▁one ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁th ir teen ▁provinces : ▁one ▁in ▁Dam asc us , ▁one ▁in ▁Ale ppo ▁and ▁one ▁at ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁univers ities . ▁In ▁most ▁cases , ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁a ▁province , ▁police ▁chief , ▁mayor ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁dign itar ies ▁make ▁up ▁the ▁Branch ▁Command , ▁but ▁the ▁Branch ▁Command ▁Secretary ▁and ▁other ▁executive ▁positions ▁are ▁filled ▁by ▁party ▁whole - tim ers . ▁ ▁The ▁Sy rian ▁regional ▁party ▁con gress ▁is ▁held ▁every ▁four ▁years . ▁While ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁strictly ▁orch estr ated ▁affair , ▁the ▁regional ▁con gress ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁ven ue ▁for ▁actual ▁deb ates ▁on ▁current ▁affairs . ▁Crit ic ism ▁against ▁cor ruption ▁and ▁economic ▁st agn ation ▁were ▁expressed ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁regional ▁con gress , ▁al beit ▁candid ly . ▁This ▁con gress ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁ 7 7 1 ▁branch ▁deleg ates . ▁ ▁The ▁party ▁has ▁a ▁parallel ▁structure ▁within ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁armed ▁forces . ▁The ▁military ▁and ▁civil ian ▁se ctors ▁only ▁meet ▁at ▁the ▁regional ▁level , ▁as ▁the ▁military ▁sector ▁is ▁represented ▁in ▁the ▁Regional ▁Command ▁and ▁sends ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁regional ▁con gress es . ▁The ▁military ▁sector ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁branches , ▁operating ▁at ▁the ▁batt alion ▁level . ▁The ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁military ▁party ▁branch ▁is ▁called ▁a ▁t aw ji hi ▁(" guide "). ▁ ▁The ▁party ▁has ▁an ▁In spe ction ▁and ▁Control