Rafiq Shahadah

Rafiq Shahadah (Arabic: رفيق شحادة‎) is a Syrian Army major general. He is head of the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army's operations in eastern Syria.[1]

Rafiq Shahadah
رفيق شحادة
BornBtigramo, Jableh District, Latakia Governorate, Syria
Allegiance Syria
Service/branchSyrian Army
Years of service1977–2018
Rank Major general
UnitMilitary Intelligence Directorate (2012–2015)
Battles/warsSyrian civil war

Career

Shahadah was an adviser to President Bashar Al-Assad on strategy and military intelligence. He was appointed chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate in July 2012, replacing Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, who then became the deputy director of the National Security Bureau.[2][3]

In 2015, he was dismissed from his role as director of Military Intelligence Directorate, following a dispute with Lt. General Rustum Ghazaleh.[4]

Sanctions

On 24 August 2011, the European Union sanctioned Shahada and stated that he was the head of military intelligence's branch 293 which is charged with internal affairs in Damascus.[5][6] The EU accused him of being "directly involved in repression and violence against the civilian population."[7] The same day, the Treasury of the United Kingdom also froze his assets.[8] The Swiss government sanctioned him the following month based on the reasons given by the EU.[9] Canada banned him from the country in October 2011.[10]

References
  1. Aboufadel, Leith (28 June 2017). "Syrian military names new commander in eastern provinces".
  2. "Bashar Assad's inner circle". BBC. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  3. "Assad reshuffles top security posts after bombing that killed four senior officials". The Times of Israel. Damascus. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  4. "The Death of Rustum Ghazaleh". Diwan. 30 April 2015.
  5. "List of natural and legal persons". Official Journal of the EU. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  6. "EU releases new Syrian blacklist". Ahram Online. Agence France-Presse. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  7. "Council Implementing Decision 2011/515/CFSP of 23 August 2011 implementing Decision 2011/273/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria". EURLex. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  8. "Asset Freeze Targets". HM Treasury. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  9. "Ordinance instituting measures against Syria" (PDF). Federal Department of Economy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  10. "Canada Expands Sanctions Against Syria". Government of Canada. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
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