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General Intelligence Directorate (Syria)

Coordinates: 33°31′13″N 36°18′42″E / 33.52028°N 36.31167°E / 33.52028; 36.31167
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General Intelligence Directorate
إِدَارَةُ الْمُخَابَرَاتِ الْعَامَّةِ
Idārat al-Mukhābarāt al-ʿAmmāh
Agency overview
Formed1963; 62 years ago (1963)
(ISFC 1963–1971)
(GID 1971–2024)
Dissolved8 December 2024 (de facto)
29 January 2025 (de jure)[1]
Superseding agency
JurisdictionBa'athist Syria
HeadquartersKafr Sousa, Damascus, Syria
33°31′13″N 36°18′42″E / 33.52028°N 36.31167°E / 33.52028; 36.31167
Agency executives
Parent agencyMinistry of Interior

The General Intelligence Directorate (Arabic: إِدَارَةُ الْمُخَابَرَاتِ الْعَامَّةِ, romanized: ʾIdārat al-Mukhābarāt al-ʿAmmāh), also known as the General Security Directorate or Syrian GID, was the most important civil intelligence service of former Ba'athist Syria and played an important role of suppressing the people of Syria for the governments interests.[3] The General Intelligence Directorate conducted an oppressive surveillance of the Syrian population, directed foreign intelligence and monitored activities in Lebanon on behalf of Hezbollah until its dissolution in December 2024.

History

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In November 1970, Hafez al-Assad ousted Jadid in what he labelled a Corrective Movement. The new system has proved to be Syria's most stable and durable since independence and has toned down the previous radicalism. It was established in 1971. By 1972, the General Intelligence Directorate was significantly modelled on the GDR's Stasi.[4] Under the government of Hafez al-Assad and Ba'ath Party, especially from 1973, agents of Syria’s GSD were a frequent visitors in East Berlin for training. According to Stasi files, the Syrians also received equipment and materials from East Germany, the last such deliveries documented up until 1990.[5]

Under Bashar al-Assad there has been a remarkable continuity among the senior personnel in the intelligence community. The service was in competition with Political Security Directorate in the late 20th century.[6] Major General Ghazi Kanaan possibly headed international security of the General Security Directorate in the late 20th century. In the late 20th century, between 1998 and 2001, Major General Ali Houri was director of General Security Directorate.

After Bashar al-Assad's takeover in 2000, Major General Ali Hammoud was named as head of General Intelligence Directorate. In 2001, Hisham Ikhtiyar became the head of the General Intelligence Directorate, replacing Ali Hammoud, who became the Minister for Interior. Hisham Ikhtiyar was close to Bashar al-Assad's deceased brother-in-law Assef Shawkat.[6] President Bashar al-Assad in June 2005 appointed General Ali Mamlouk as commander of the General Intelligence Directorate.[7]

Six years later in April 2011, the US government imposed sanctions on Ali Mamlouk, saying he had been responsible for human rights abuses, including the use of violence against civilians. Agency had repressed internal dissent, monitored individual citizens, and had been involved in the Syrian government's actions in Daraa, where protesters were killed by Syrian security services. The next month, the European Union also imposed sanctions on Ali Mamlouk, saying he had been involved in efforts to suppress anti-government protesters. A Sunni, he is said to be on good terms with all of Syria's intelligence agencies – the heads of Air Force Intelligence Directorate and the Political Security Directorate were once his assistants. He is a part of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.[8] After the 18 July 2012 bombing of the Central Crisis Management Cell (Syria) and the death of its four key members of team, Mohammed Dib Zaitoun was named as head of the General Intelligence Directorate.[9]

The General Intelligence Directorate was dissolved along with the Ba'athist Syrian institutions in December 2024 following the collapse of the Assad regime. Anas Khattab, appointed head of Syrian intelligence said country's security institution will be restructured after all current security entities are dissolved.[10][11]

Organization

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The General Intelligence Directorate was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior.[12] The GID was also controlled by the President Bashar al-Assad through the National Security Bureau of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Central Command.[13] It is divided into six branches:

Responsibility

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The Internal Security Division is responsible for the surveillance of the population, counterintelligence, counter-terrorism, security of Damascus as well as protection of the Government of Syria. The External Security Division is tasked with foreign intelligence work, espionage and national security protection.[14] And the Palestinian Affairs Division is responsible for monitoring the activities of Palestinian groups in Syria and Lebanon.[14]

Directors

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  • Bashir an-Najjar (1994–1998)[17]
  • Ali Houri (1998–2001)[14][19]
  • Zouheir Hamad (July 2010–July 2012), the European Union sanctioned him for "the use of violence across Syria and for intimidation and torture of protesters during the Syrian Civil War".[23][24]
  • Deputy Director: General Nazih (July 2010–July 2012), the European Union sanctioned him for "being responsible for the use of violence across Syria and intimidation and torture of protestors during the Syrian uprising".[24]
  • Information branch: Ghassan Khalil (July 2010–?), the European Union sanctioned him for "being involved in repression and violence against the civilian population in Syria during the Syrian uprising".[23][24][26]
  • Deputy Director: Zouheir Hamad (25 July 2012 – 7 July 2019)
  • Internal branch (251): Tawfiq Younes (2011-2016),[28] the European Union sanctioned him for "being involved in violence against demonstrators during the Syrian uprisings".[24]
  • Deputy Director: Akram Ali Muhammad (7 July 2019 – 2021)
  • Internal branch (251): Ahmed Al-Dib (2016 – 8 December 2024)[29]

Regional Directors

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  • Damascus (branch 285): Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Ma'ala (2011-2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity" by Human Rights Watch.[30]
  • Damascus (branch 285): Brig. Gen. Hussam Fendi (past-2011) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[30]
  • Homs (branch 318): Brig. Gen. Firas Al-Hamed (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[30]
  • Latakia branch: Brig. Gen. Khudr Khudr (2012) accused of "ordering or committing crimes against humanity".[30]
  • Daraa branch: Brig. Gen. Ahmed Dibe (2011).[31]
  • Raqqa branch: Brig. Gen. Khaled Al-Halabi (2008-2013) accused of being involved with the arrest and torture of dissidents, as well as telling security forces to fire on any unauthorized gathering of more than four people.[32]

Other Syrian intelligence agencies

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "تعيين الشرع رئيسا لسوريا في المرحلة الانتقالية". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Treasury Continues Targeting Facilitators of Assad Regime". 25 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b "[DESINFOS.COM] - le rapport Mehlis: La Syrie et de hauts responsables libanais officiellement impliqués dans l'assassinat de Rafic Hariri". Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  4. ^ Trentin, Massimiliano (November 2021). "State-led Development: The Privileged Linkage between East Germany and Ba'athist Syria, 1965–1972". Contemporary European History. 30 (4): 581–596. doi:10.1017/S0960777321000369. hdl:11585/852257. ISSN 0960-7773.
  5. ^ "Germany's ties to the Syrian regime". 14 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Syrie". Retrieved 6 September 2008. [dead link‍]
  7. ^ Rabil, Robert G. (2006). Syria, the United States, and the war on terror in the Middle East. Westport (Conn.): Praeger security international. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-275-99015-2.
  8. ^ "Bashar al-Assad's inner circle". BBC News. 18 May 2011.
  9. ^ Paul Khalifeh (17 July 2019). "Syria war: Why did Assad restructure the military-security apparatus?". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  10. ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Syria's New Intel Chief Vows Reforms To End Abuses". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Syria's head of intelligence says security institution to be restructured". Reuters. 28 December 2024.
  12. ^ John Pike. "Syria Intelligence and Security Agencies". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  13. ^ 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
  14. ^ a b c d MEIB (July 2000). "Syria's Intelligence Services: A Primer". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 2 (6). Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  15. ^ a b Rathmell, Andrew (Fall 1997). "Syria's Intelligence Services: Origins and Development". Journal of Conflict Studies. XVI (2). Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  16. ^ a b c Seale, Patrick (1990). Asad of Syria: the struggle for the Middle East. University of California Press. p. 430. ISBN 0-520-06976-5. Fu'ad Absi syria.
  17. ^ a b c Zisser, Eyal (September 1995). "The Succession Struggle in Damascus". The Middle East Quarterly. 2 (3): 57–64. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  18. ^ Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25 (5): 425. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. S2CID 154739379. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  19. ^ a b Gambil, Gary (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 4 (2). Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  20. ^ a b c "SyriaComment.com". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  21. ^ Leverett, Flynt (2005). Inheriting Syria Bashar's trial by fire ([Online-Ausg.] ed.). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press. p. 93. ISBN 0-8157-5204-0.
  22. ^ a b 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. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  23. ^ a b c d "Syria's Assad 'reshuffles security chiefs'". UPI. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  24. ^ a b c d e f "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. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  25. ^ "À la recherche d'Anwar Raslan, tortionnaire syrien". Les Jours (in French). 8 April 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  26. ^ a b c "Stratfor report on Syrian Security, Intelligence Leaders (Corrected)". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  27. ^ Archived copy Archived 23 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "Tawfiq Younes". Pro Justice. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  29. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Syrian Regime Prisons, Officials, and Syrian Armed Group". U.S. Department of the Treasury. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  30. ^ a b c d "Torture Archipelago". Human Rights Watch. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  31. ^ By all means Human Right Watch. Retrieved 8 December 2022
  32. ^ "How a Syrian War Criminal and Double Agent Disappeared in Europe". The New Yorker. 11 September 2021.
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