Dawoud Rajiha

Rajiha, a Greek Orthodox christian, was born in Damascus in 1947.[1][2] A specialist in artillery, he graduated from Syria's military academy in 1967.[1]

Dawoud Abdallah Rajiha attended different courses and a higher military education:

• Bachelor in Military Sciences, Field Artillery Officer, Syrian Military Academy
• Staff Course
• General Command and Staff Course
• Higher Staff Course (War Course)

Rajiha attained the rank of major general in 1998 and was appointed as the Syrian Army's deputy chief of staff six years later, in 2004.[3] In 2005, he received a promotion to the rank of general called Imad (a rank in the Syrian armed forces between major general and lieutenant general).[4] When Ali Habib Mahmud was named to head the ministry of defense in 2009, Rajiha was given the position of army chief of staff.[4] He held this position in 2011, when the Syrian civil war began. On 8 August 2011, he was chosen by President Bashar al-Assad to replace Mahmud as minister of defense.[1][2]

On 20 May 2012, the Damascus council of the Free Syrian Army, among the rebel organizations opposed to the Assad government, alleged that it had assassinated Rajiha and the seven other members of the government's military crisis unit. It was since proven that the allegations were false and were rebels propaganda. Members of the unit, including former minister of defense Hasan Turkmani, were shown on Syrian television to be alive, and the rebels later stated that only Rajiha's deputy, General Assef Shawkat, and a second official who was not named. Shawkat, the brother-in-law of President Assad, was later shown to have survived, as well.[5][6][7] In June 2012, the matter of Rajiha's alleged death was permanently resolved when it was confirmed that he remained Assad's defense minister in the newly formed cabinet.[8]

Rajiha was married and had four children.[3]

Almost two months after the date of his alleged death, Rajiha was assassinated in 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing at the Syrian National Security Building at Rawda Square, Damascus. Among the others killed in the bombing were Hasan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat.[9][10][11] Fahd Jassem al-Freij was named by President Assad as Rajiha's successor as minister of defense, while it was announced that Addounia TV would broadcast the minister's funeral. A state funeral was held for him, Hasan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat in Damascus on 20 July 2012. A religious ceremony for him took place in the Holy Cross church in Damascus.[12] Bashar al-Assad did not participate in the ceremony and was represented by vice president Farouk al-Sharaa.[13] A military ceremony was also held for him and other two senior officials, Hassan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat, in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Mount Qasioun, overlooking Damascus.[13]