Dawoud Rajiha
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Dawoud Abdallah Rajiha داوود راجحة | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office 8 August 2011 – 18 July 2012 | |
| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Prime Minister | Adel Safar Riyad Hijab |
| Deputy | Assef Shawkat |
| Preceded by | Ali Habib Mahmud |
| Succeeded by | Fahd Freij |
| Chief of Army Staff | |
| In office 3 June 2009 – 8 August 2011 | |
| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Minister | Ali Habib Mahmud |
| Preceded by | Ali Habib Mahmud |
| Succeeded by | Fahed al-Jasem el-Freij |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1947[1] Damascus, Syria[1] |
| Died | Error: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day Damascus, Syria |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Syria |
| Branch/service | Syrian Army |
| Years of service | 1967-2012 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Yom Kippur War Islamic uprising in Syria Syrian occupation of Lebanon 1982 Lebanon War Gulf War |
General Dawoud Abdallah Rajiha (1947 – 18 July 2012) (Arabic: داوود راجحة), forename sometimes transliterated Dawood or Daoud, surname sometimes transliterated Rajha, was the Minister of Defense of the Syrian Arab Republic and a former chief of staff of the Syrian Arab Army.
Rajiha, a Greek Orthodox Christian,[2] was born in Damascus, the Syrian capital, in 1947. He was an artillery specialist in the military academy, from which he graduated in 1967. He attained the rank of lieutenant general in 1998 and made full general in 2005, a year after being made deputy chief of staff of the Syrian Army. After serving as the army chief of staff since Ali Habib Mahmud was named to head the Ministry of Defense in 2009, he was appointed to replace Mahmud as defense minister on 8 August 2011,[1] during the 2011 Syrian uprising.[2]
Rumored death
Rajiha was reportedly one of those present in an attack on a meeting of Syria's top officials on May 19, 2012. Rebel leaders reported up to six dead of those poisoned at the meeting, including Rajiha, Assef Shawkat and Hassan Turkmani.[3]
While there were indications that high-ranking personnel suffered a medical emergency and Shawkat may have died, a telephone interviews with Mohammed Shaar was later broadcast, and Hassan Turkmani appeared on TV.[4][5] However, the rebels later claimed that they could only confirm the deaths of just Shawkat and another Syrian official whose name was not mentioned.[6] In June, the claim of Rajiha's death was contradicted when it was announced that he was alive and remained Assad's Defense Minister.[7]
Death
Rajiha was killed on July 18, 2012 by bomb attacking the National Security Building in Damascus.[8][9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "President al-Assad Issues Decree Naming Gen. Dawood Rajiha Defense Minister". SANA. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "Syria's Assad replaces defense minister with army chief of staff". Ha'aretz. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ Al Arabiya: Syrian officials acknowledge Assad’s brother-in-law was killed four days ago
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/may/20/syria-damascus-clashes-assassinations
- ^ http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/20/215270.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/world/middleeast/syria-unrest.html
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/syria-s-assad-forms-new-government-keeps-top-ministers-1.443355
- ^ "Syria defence minister killed in Damascus bomb". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- ^ "Syria conflict: 'Suicide bomb' kills defence minister". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
External links
- Ministry of Defense official government website
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