Military Intelligence Directorate (Syria)

The Military Intelligence Directorate (Arabic: شعبة المخابرات العسكرية‎, Shu'bat al-Mukhabarat al-'Askariyya) is the military intelligence service of Syria.[1] Although its roots go back to the French mandate period (1923–1943), its current organization was established in 1969.[2][3] Its predecessor organisation was called the Deuxième Bureau (the Second Bureau).[2][3] It is headquartered at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus.

Military Intelligence Directorate

شعبة المخابرات العسكرية أو الأمن العسكري Shu'bat al-Mukhabarat al-'Askariyya
Agency overview
Formed	1969
Preceding agency	Deuxième Bureau
Jurisdiction	President of Syria
Headquarters	Defense Ministry headquarters, Umayyad Square, Damascus, Syria 33°30′50.58″N 36°16′42.58″E
Agency executive	Rafiq Shahadah, Director
Parent agency	Military of Syria

The military intelligence service, or the Mukhabarat in Arabic, is very influential in Syrian politics and is controlled by the President, Bashar al-Assad.[4][5] It is suspected of providing support to different radical groups.[6] The service also monitors opponents of the government outside Syria.[7] During the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, the Mukhabarat exercised political authority in Lebanon.

Rafiq Shahadah has headed the Directorate since 2012.

List of heads

• Ali Zaza (1965-1970)[8]
• Hikmat al-Shihabi (1970–1973)[9]
• Ali Duba (1973–2000)[10]

• Deputy director: Hassan Khalil (1993–2000)[11]

• Hassan Khalil (2000–2005)[10]

• Deputy director: Assef Shawkat (2000–2005)[11][12]

• Assef Shawkat (2005–2009)[10][13]

• Deputy director: Saeed Sammour (2005–2009)[14]

• Abdel-Fatah Qudsiyeh (2009–July 2012)[15][16][17]
  • Head of Internal Affairs (branch 293): Rafiq Shahadah (2011)
• Rafiq Shahadah (July 2012–present)[18]

Regional Heads of Military Intelligence

• Damascus countryside (branch 227): Maj. Gen. Rustum Ghazali (past–July 2012), the European Union sanctioned him for being involved in violence against the civilian population during the Syrian uprising.[17] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity by Human Rights Watch.[19]

• Damascus (branch 215): Brig. Gen. Sha’afiq (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Damascus (branch 235 a.k.a. "Palestine Branch"): Brig. Gen. Muhammad Khallouf (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Damascus (branch 291): Brig. Gen. Yousef Abdou (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Damascus (branch 291): Brig. Gen. Burhan Qadour (past–2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]

• Hama city branch: Mohammad Mufleh (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being involved in the crackdown on demonstrators during the Syrian uprising.[17]
• Deir ez-Zor branch: Jami Jami (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being directly involved in repression and violence against the civilian population in Dayr az-Zor and Alboukamal during the Syrian uprising.[17]
• Idlib (branch 271): Brig. Gen. Nawful Al-Husayn (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being directly involved in repression and violence against the civilian population in Idlib province during the Syrian uprising.[17] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Homs branch: Muhammed Zamrini (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being directly involved in repression and violence against the civilian population in Homs during the Syrian uprising.[17] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Daraa (branch 245): Col. Lu’ai al-Ali (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being responsible for the violence against protesters in Daraa during the Syrian uprising.[17] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[19]
• Suwayda branch: Wafiq Nasser (2011), head of regional branch assumed position after Brig. Gen. Suheir Ramadan.[20]

Paramilitary units

• Military Security Shield Forces
  • Military Security Falcons[21]
  • Southern Shield Brigade[22]
• Desert Commandos Regiment[23]
  • Lions of Hamidiya[24]
• Forces of the Fighters of the Tribes[25]
• Falcons of the Euphrates[26]

Other Syrian intelligence agencies

• Air Force Intelligence Directorate
• General Security Directorate
• Political Security Directorate

References

1. "Syria Intelligence and Security Agencies". Global Security. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
2. Wege, Carl Anthony (2011). "Hizbollah–Syrian Intelligence Affairs: A Marriage of Convenience". Journal of Strategic Security. 4 (3): 1–14. doi:10.5038/1944-0472.4.3.1. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
3. Conflict Studies Journal at the University of New Brunswick Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Lib.unb.ca. Retrieved on 19 October 2010.
4. Robert G. Rabil Syria, the United States, and the war on terror in the Middle East Archived 18 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, ISBN 0-275-99015-X p.214
5. TFJD990-01-210480.texArchived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF). Retrieved 19 October 2010.
6. Syria, Intelligence and Security Archived 13 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Espionageinfo.com. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
7. Paul Todd, Jonathan Bloch Global intelligence: the world's secret services today Archived 9 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Zed Books, 2003 ISBN 1-84277-113-2 p. 167
8. McConville, Maureen; Seale, Patrick (1990). Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520069763. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
9. Moubayed, Sami (2005). Steel & silk: Men and women who shaped Syria 1900-2000. Seattle, Wash: Cune. p. 83. ISBN 1885942400. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
10. Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25 (5): 424. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
11. MEIB (July 2000). "Syria's Intelligence Services: A Primer". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 2 (6). Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
12. Gambil, Gary (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 4 (2). Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
13. "The List: The Middle East's Most Powerful Spooks". Foreign Policy. 20 July 2009. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
14. Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25 (5): 390. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
15. Black, Ian (28 April 2011). "Six Syrians who helped Bashar al-Assad keep iron grip after father's death". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
16. Rainer, Hermann (26 April 2011). "Geheimdienste in Syrien: Teile, herrsche, morde". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
17. "Joint Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011". EuroLex. 52011PC0887. 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
18. "Assad reshuffles top security posts after bombing that killed four senior officials". The Times of Israel. Damascus. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
19. "Torture Archipelago". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
20. "By All Means Necessary" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
21. Vince Beshara (17 April 2017). "New small loyalist group formed earlier this month, Military Security Falcons, formed in Homs, Syria. Led by Sheikh Mohamed al-Milham". Syria Comment. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
22. Beshara, Vince (25 April 2017). "Another new #Syria loyalist group formed this week, Southern Shield Brigade. Based in #Qunietra, it is being sponsored by Military Intel.pic.twitter.com/erv2tzf1yx". Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
23. Yakovlev, Ivan (20 December 2016). "The fall of Palmyra: Chronology of the events". Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
24. "Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia". 15 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
25. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (2 April 2017). "Quwat Muqatili al-Asha'ir: Tribal Auxiliary Forces of the Military Intelligence". Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
26. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (10 August 2017). "Suqur al-Furat: A Pro-Assad Sha'itat Tribal Militia". Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.

External links

• Syria's Intelligence Services: Origins and Development, Andrew Rathmell, J. Conflict Studies, 1996.
• Human Rights in Syria, James A. Paul, Middle East Watch, 1990.
• Syria's Intelligence Services, Agentura.