Military Wiki
Military Wiki
Military Intelligence Directorate
شعبة المخابرات العسكرية أو الأمن العسكري
Shu'bat al-Mukhabarat al-'Askariyya
Agency overview
Formed 1969
Preceding agency
Jurisdiction President of Syria
Headquarters Defense Ministry headquarters, Umayyad Square, Damascus, Syria
33°30′50.58″N 36°16′42.58″E / 33.51405°N 36.2784944°E / 33.51405; 36.2784944Coordinates: 33°30′50.58″N 36°16′42.58″E / 33.51405°N 36.2784944°E / 33.51405; 36.2784944
Agency executive
Parent agency Military of Syria

The Military Intelligence Directorate (Arabic language: 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.

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

Late Assef Shawqat, the brother-in-law of Bashar Al-Assad, became director in 2005 replacing General Hassan Khalil.[8] From 2009 to 2012, the military intelligence service was headed by Abdel-Fatah Qudsiyeh.[9][10]

Heads of Military Intelligence[]

  • Deputy director: Hassan Khalil (1993–2000)[14]
  • Hassan Khalil (2000–2005)[13]
  • Deputy director: Assef Shawkat (2000–2005)[14][15]

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.[19] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity by Human Rights Watch.[21]
  • Damascus (branch 215): Brig. Gen. Sha’afiq (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • Damascus (branch 235 a.k.a. "Palestine Branch"): Brig. Gen. Muhammad Khallouf (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • Damascus (branch 291): Brig. Gen. Yousef Abdou (2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • Damascus (branch 291): Brig. Gen. Burhan Qadour (past–2012) accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • Hama city branch: Mohammad Mufleh (2011), the European Union sanctioned him for being involved in the crackdown on demonstrators during the Syrian uprising.[19]
  • 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.[19]
  • 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.[19] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • 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.[19] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • 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.[19] Accused of ordering or committing crimes against humanity.[21]
  • Suwayda branch: Wafiq Nasser (2011), head of regional branch assumed position after Brig. Gen. Suheir Ramadan.[22]

Paramilitary units[]

Other Syrian intelligence agencies[]

References[]

  1. "Syria Intelligence and Security Agencies". Global Security. http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/syria/intro.htm. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Wege, Carl Anthony (2011). "Hizbollah–Syrian Intelligence Affairs: A Marriage of Convenience". pp. 1–14. Digital object identifier:10.5038/1944-0472.4.3.1. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1097&context=jss. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Conflict Studies Journal at the University of New Brunswick. 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, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, ISBN 0-275-99015-X p.214
  5. TFJD990-01-210480.tex Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. (PDF). Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  6. Syria, Intelligence and Security. Espionageinfo.com. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  7. Paul Todd, Jonathan Bloch Global intelligence: the world's secret services today, Zed Books, 2003 ISBN 1-84277-113-2 p. 167
  8. Print - ESISC : European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center. ESISC (22 October 2005). Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  9. Ahed Al Hendi (3 May 2011). "The Structure of Syria's Repression". http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/67823/ahed-al-hendi/the-structure-of-syrias-repression?page=show. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 Black, Ian (28 April 2011). "Six Syrians who helped Bashar al-Assad keep iron grip after father's death". London. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/28/syria-bashar-assad-regime-members. 
  11. McConville, Maureen; Seale, Patrick (1990). Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520069763. https://books.google.com/books/about/Asad_of_Syria.html?id=6D9EiJKRTHcC. 
  12. Moubayed, Sami (2005). Steel & silk: Men and women who shaped Syria 1900-2000. Seattle, Wash: Cune. p. 83. ISBN 1885942400. https://books.google.com/books?id=sC-xU8QHSooC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=Hikmat+al-Shihabi&source=bl&ots=bgG1yOKxmj&sig=3d4HbJtoSlH4icZ-Rh51GcmKO_o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mKAsUOXMNcjRyQGuvYHADw&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Hikmat%20al-Shihabi&f=false. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview". p. 424. Digital object identifier:10.1080/01495930601105412. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723214138/http://www.herzliyaconference.org/_Uploads/2590Bashars.pdf. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
  14. 14.0 14.1 MEIB (July 2000). "Syria's Intelligence Services: A Primer". http://www.meforum.org/meib/articles/0007_s3.htm. Retrieved 8 June 2011. 
  15. Gambil, Gary (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". http://www.meforum.org/meib/articles/0202_s1.htm. Retrieved 8 June 2011. 
  16. "The List: The Middle East's Most Powerful Spooks". Foreign Policy. 20 July 2009. https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/07/20/the_list_the_middle_easts_most_powerful_spies?page=0,3. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  17. Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview". p. 390. Digital object identifier:10.1080/01495930601105412. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723214138/http://www.herzliyaconference.org/_Uploads/2590Bashars.pdf. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
  18. Rainer, Hermann (26 April 2011). "Geheimdienste in Syrien: Teile, herrsche, morde". http://www.faz.net/artikel/C32315/geheimdienste-in-syrien-teile-herrsche-morde-30335230.html. Retrieved 8 June 2011. 
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 "Joint Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011". 2011. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0887:FIN:EN:HTML. Retrieved 10 March 2012. 
  20. "Assad reshuffles top security posts after bombing that killed four senior officials". Damascus. 24 July 2012. http://www.timesofisrael.com/assad-reshuffles-top-security-posts-after-bombing-kills-four-top-officials/. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 21.7 "Torture Archipelago". Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/node/108415/section/2. Retrieved 3 July 2012. 
  22. "By All Means Necessary". Human Rights Watch. 2011. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/syria1211webwcover_0.pdf. Retrieved 17 December 2012. 
  23. 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. https://twitter.com/Jacm212/status/854122324626485248. Retrieved 26 April 2017. 
  24. 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". https://twitter.com/Jacm212/status/857076918524538880. 
  25. Yakovlev, Ivan (20 December 2016). "The fall of Palmyra: Chronology of the events". https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/fall-palmyra-chronology-events/. 
  26. "Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia". 15 December 2016. http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/usud-al-cherubim-pro-assad-christian-militia/. 
  27. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (2 April 2017). "Quwat Muqatili al-Asha'ir: Tribal Auxiliary Forces of the Military Intelligence". http://www.aymennjawad.org/19789/quwat-muqatili-al-ashair-tribal-auxiliary-forces. Retrieved 31 August 2017. 
  28. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (10 August 2017). "Suqur al-Furat: A Pro-Assad Sha'itat Tribal Militia". http://www.aymennjawad.org/2017/08/suqur-al-furat-a-new-pro-assad-tribal-militia. Retrieved 31 August 2017. 

External links[]

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