Air Force Intelligence Directorate
| إدارة المخابرات الجوية Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1963 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Syria |
| Headquarters | Damascus, Syria |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Military of Syria |
The Air Force Intelligence Directorate (Template:Lang-ar, Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya) is an intelligence service of Syria, possibly the country's most powerful,[1] owing its importance to Hafez al-Assad's role as the Air Force commander.[1] Despite its name, it is mainly involved with issues other than air force intelligence,[2] and took an active part in the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood rebellion in the 1980s.[3] Agents of this service have frequently been stationed in Syrian embassies or branch offices of the national airline.[4]
The service was headed for nearly thirty years by Maj. Gen. Muhammad al-Khuli, who was trusted by Hafez al-Assad and had an office adjacent to the president's in the presidential palace.[3] In 1995, it was headed by Ibrahim Huwayji.[5]
As of 2019, it is headed by Gen Ghassan Jaoudat Ismail.[6][7] Hassan previously served as a security official in the eastern governorate of Deir ez-Zor. He is a part of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle,[8] though he has criticized "the decision of the leadership" to not immediately crush the 2011 Syrian uprising in its very beginning, making him a hardliner in the Syrian leadership.
The service also took part in the efforts to put down the 2011 Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad's government. It is known to have been active in the town of Talkalakh near the Lebanese border.[9]
Heads of Air Force Intelligence Directorate
- Muhammad al-Khuli (1963–1987)[10]
- Ibrahim Huwayji (1987–2002)[10][11]
- Iz a-Din Isma'il (2002 – )[12]
- Deputy director: Ali Mamlouk ( – June 2005)[13]
- Abdulfattah Qudsiya ( – 2009)[14][15]
- Jamil Hassan (2009–2019)[7][15] was sanctioned by the European Union for "violence against the civilian population during the Syrian Civil War".[16][17]
- Deputy director: Fuad Tawil (2012) was sanctioned by European Union for "the use of violence across Syria and intimidation and torture of protestors during the Syrian uprising".[16]
- Head of Investigative branch: Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Fajer Mahmoud (2011), accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity by Human Rights Watch.[18][19]
- Head of Special Operations branch: Maj. Gen. Ghassan Ismail (2011).[19]
- Head of Operations branch: Col. Suheil Hassan (2011).[19]
- Ghassan Jaoudat Ismail (2019–present)[6]
Regional Heads of Air Force Intelligence Directorate
- Damascus branch: Eyad Mandou (2012)[20]
- Homs branch: Brig. Gen. Jawdat al-Ahmed (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[18]
- Daraa branch: Col. Qusay Mihoub (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[18]
- Latakia branch: Col. Suhail Al-Abdullah (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[18]
Paramilitary units
Other Syrian intelligence agencies
References
- ^ a b "Syria, Intelligence and Security". Espionageinfo.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ "Erreur sur la page". Desinfos.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ a b "Syria's Intelligence Services: A Primer". Meib.org. July 2000. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008.
- ^ "NSNL 61 – Intelligence profile : Syria". Cvni.net. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ "The Succession Struggle in Damascus – Middle East Quarterly". Meforum.org. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ a b "Assad replaces high-ranking Intel chief". Al-Masdar News.
- ^ a b Al Hendi, Ahed (3 May 2011). "The Structure of Syria's Repression". Foreign Affairs.
- ^ BBC News – Bashar al-Assad's inner circle. Bbc.co.uk (18 May 2011). Retrieved on 12 April 2012.
- ^ Ana Maria Luca; Nadine Elali (30 April 2011). "The Syrian uprising's refugees". NOW Lebanon. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
- ^ a b Rathmell, Andrew (Fall 1997). "Syria's Intelligence Services: Origins and Development". Journal of Conflict Studies. XVI (2). Archived from the original on 22 July 2011.
- ^ Gambil, Gary (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 4 (2).
- ^ Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25: 424. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011.
- ^ "Ali Mamluk: Syria's new security chief - Region - World - Ahram Online". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ "Syria's Assad 'reshuffles security chiefs'". UPI. 21 October 2010.
- ^ a b "The Syrian President Reshuffles Security, Intelligence Leaders". 28 September 2010. Middle East Transparent. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012.
- ^ a b L_2012016EN.01000101.xml. Eur-lex.europa.eu (19 January 2012). Retrieved on 12 April 2012.
- ^ "Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011".
- ^ a b c d "Torture Archipelago". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- ^ a b c https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/syria1211webwcover_0.pdf
- ^ Syria: Turkish embassy closed, senior intel officer assassinated. Al Bawaba (26 March 2012). Retrieved on 12 April 2012.
- ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (14 December 2016). "Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia". Syria Comment.
- ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (3 January 2016). "The Syrian National Resistance: Liwa Khaybar". Syria Comment.
- ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (24 December 2016). "The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force". Syria Comment.