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Air Force Intelligence Directorate

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Air Force Intelligence Directorate
إدارة المخابرات الجوية
Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya
Flag of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate
Agency overview
Formed1963; 61 years ago (1963)
Preceding agency
DissolvedDecember 2024; 0 months ago (2024-12)
JurisdictionGovernment of Syria
HeadquartersDefense Ministry headquarters, Umayyad Square, Damascus, Syria
Agency executives
  • Qahtan Khalil (2024), Director
  • Malik Ali Habib (2023–2024), Deputy Director
Parent agencyMinistry of Defense

The Air Force Intelligence Directorate (Arabic: إدارة المخابرات الجوية, romanized: Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya) was the intelligence service of Ba'athist Syria from 1963 until 2024,[1] owing its importance to Hafez al-Assad's role as the Air Force commander.[1] Despite its name, it was 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]

History

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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] Between 1987 and 2002, it was headed by Ibrahim Huwayji.[5] 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.[6] From 2009 until July 2019, the agency was headed by Major General Jamil Hassan, who is from Alawite sect.[7]

From 2019 to 2024, it was headed by Major General Ghassan Ismail.[8][9] Ghassan Jaoudat Ismail previously served as a security official in the eastern governorate of Deir ez-Zor. He was a part of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle,[10] 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.

Role

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Military experts considered SAFI the "the most powerful and notorious intelligence and security service in Syria", while the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights called it the "most powerful and most brutal" of Syria's state security agencies. SAFI had a broad mandate as Assad's "personal machinery of repression and extermination," serving as the president's personal action service and having a broad role in external clandestine operations.[11]

Through its extensive network of prisons, SAFI imprisoned, tortured, and killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians.[11]

International investigations

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After the fall of the Assad regime, the U.S. Department of Justice charged former SAFI officers Jamil Hassan and Abdul Salam Mahmoud with "conspiracy to commit war crimes through the infliction of cruel and inhuman treatment on detainees under their control."[11]

Directors

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Regional Directors

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  • Damascus branch: Brig. Gen. Ahmed Shaaban Muhammad (2024–2024)[23]
    • Eyad Mandou (2012)[24]
  • Aleppo branch: Maj. Gen. Adib Salameh[25] (2012–2016)
  • Hama branch: Col. Duraid Awad (2024–2024)[26]
  • Homs branch: Brig. Gen. Radwan Saqqar (2024–2024)[26]
    • Brig. Gen. Jawdat al-Ahmed (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[20]
  • Latakia branch: Brig. Gen. Rami Ismail (2024–2024)
    • Col. Suhail Al-Abdullah (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[20]
  • Qamishli branch: Brig. Gen. Fouad Suleiman (2024–2024)[27]
  • Daraa branch: Col. Qusay Mihoub (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[20]

Paramilitary units

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Other Syrian intelligence agencies

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Syria, Intelligence and Security". Espionageinfo.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  2. ^ "Le rapport Mehlis : la Syrie et de hauts responsables libanais officiellement impliqués dans l'assassinat de Rafic Hariri" [The Mehlis report: Syria and senior Lebanese officials officially implicated in the assassination of Rafic Hariri]. Desinfos.com. 21 October 2005. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006.
  3. ^ a b "Syria's Intelligence Services: A Primer". Meib.org. July 2000. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008.
  4. ^ "NSNL 61 – Intelligence profile : Syria". cvni.net. 3 June 2003. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  5. ^ Zisser, Eyal (September 1995). "The Succession Struggle in Damascus – Middle East Quarterly". Middle East Quarterly. Meforum.org. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  6. ^ Ana Maria Luca; Nadine Elali (30 April 2011). "The Syrian uprising's refugees". NOW Lebanon. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011.
  7. ^ "First circle". France 24. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Assad replaces high-ranking Intel chief". Al-Masdar News. 7 July 2019. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019.
  9. ^ a b Al Hendi, Ahed (3 May 2011). "The Structure of Syria's Repression". ForeignAffairs.com.
  10. ^ "Bashar al-Assad's inner circle". BBC News. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.
  11. ^ a b c Axe, David (13 December 2024). "The Air Force that spent its time killing its own people". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Gambil, Gary (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 4 (2).
  14. ^ Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25 (5): 424. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. S2CID 154739379. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011.
  15. ^ "Ali Mamluk: Syria's new security chief". Al-Ahram. AFP. 24 July 2012.
  16. ^ "Syria's Assad 'reshuffles security chiefs'". UPI. 21 October 2010.
  17. ^ a b "The Syrian President Reshuffles Security, Intelligence Leaders". 28 September 2010. Middle East Transparent. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
  18. ^ a b "Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 of 18 January 2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011". Eur-lex.europa.eu. 18 January 2012. Document 32012R0036. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011".
  20. ^ a b c d "Torture Archipelago". Human Rights Watch (Press release). 3 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  21. ^ a b c Neistat, Anna; (Organization), Human Rights Watch (December 2011). "By All Means Necessary" Individual and Command Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity in Syria (PDF). Human Rights Watch. ISBN 978-1-56432-842-7.
  22. ^ Ayman Al-Das (9 May 2024). "5. Brigadier General Muhammad Bilal, brother of Major General Ghassan Bilal (Head of the #Security_Office at the #4th_Division) has been appointed as the head of #Special_Task Forces Branch in #Air_Force Intelligence". Twitter. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  23. ^ Ayman Al-Das (9 May 2024). "4.Brigadier General Ahmed Shaaban Muhammad as a head of the #Damascus_Branch of the air force's intelligence service". Twitter. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  24. ^ Syria: Turkish embassy closed, senior intel officer assassinated. Al Bawaba (26 March 2012). Retrieved on 12 April 2012.
  25. ^ Szakola, Albin (26 September 2016). "Notorious Aleppo intelligence chief moved from post". NOW. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  26. ^ a b Ayman Al-Das (9 May 2024). "New appointments in the #Air_force_intelligence: 1. Brigadier General Radwan Saqar as a head of the Homs Branch of the air force's intelligence service, 2. Colonel Duraid E Awad as a head of the Hama Branch of the air force's intelligence service". Twitter. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  27. ^ Ayman Al-Das (9 May 2024). "3. Brigadier General Fouad Suleiman as a head of the Qamishli Branch of the air force's intelligence service". Twitter. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  28. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (14 December 2016). "Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia". Syria Comment.
  29. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (24 December 2016). "The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force". Syria Comment.
  30. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (3 January 2016). "The Syrian National Resistance: Liwa Khaybar". Syria Comment.
  31. ^ "The Leopards of Homs: A Pro-Assad Militia".
  32. ^ "Kata'ib al-Jabalawi: A Pro-Assad Militia from Homs".
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