Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decision to promote several senior officers in the security and military sectors, as revealed by pro-Syrian accounts on social media and confirmed by informed sources in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The appointment of Major General Kamel Hassan as head of the Military Intelligence Directorate validates previous discussions regarding extensive security changes made by the Syrian president earlier this year. However, it may indicate that recent talks about establishing a unified military and armed forces intelligence agency in Syria may be premature.
The decision included the appointment of Major General Suhail Fajr Hassan as commander of the 15th Special Forces Division, Major General Mohamed Mohsen Nyouf as head of staff of the Third Corps, Major General Adam Fayyad as commander of the 18th Tank Division, Brigadier General Habib Ahmed Ibrahim as deputy commander of the 18th Tank Division, and Major General Monther Saad Ibrahim as head of operations for the army.
Other appointments included Major General Mohamed Khalif al-Mohammad as commander of the Second Corps, Major General Hussein Mahmoud Tallaja as head of staff of the naval and coastal defense forces, and Brigadier General Ahmed Ramadan as head of staff of the 14th Special Forces Division. The promotions and new positions also included Brigadier General Rami Ali Diab, Brigadier General Pilot Youssef Ali, and Brigadier General Thaer Ajeeb, who was appointed as deputy commander of the Fifth Infantry Division in Assad’s militias. Additionally, Brigadier General Abdul Rahman Qasem Houri, serving in the militia of the Third Division in the Qalamoun region, was promoted to the rank of major general, along with dozens of other officers.
However, the most notable aspect of these appointments is the elevation of Major General Kamel Hassan to head the Military Intelligence Directorate, coming from the Palestine Branch, replacing Major General Kifah Melhem, who was appointed head of the National Security Bureau instead of retired Major General Ali Mamluk, who has become a security advisor in the Syrian Presidential Office.
The Syrian presidency announced in late January of this year a rare security meeting held by President Assad with security and military leaders, resulting in the establishment of a security roadmap. The Syrian presidency stated in a statement that the meeting focused on the anticipated impact of the ongoing restructuring in the security field and the development of coordination among the agencies. Additionally, it outlined a security roadmap in line with strategic visions that address local, regional, and international challenges and risks, impacting the nation's security, citizens' safety, and the armed forces' security.
The meeting also discussed the expected impact of the ongoing restructuring within the security sector and the enhancement of inter-agency coordination, aimed at improving the performance of security forces in the upcoming phase and developing tools for combating terrorism after significant achievements in recent years. Furthermore, Assad stressed, according to the statement, the proactive and preventive role of security agencies in combating terrorist organizations and the continuous tracking of cells attempting to harm national security and safety.
This meeting followed shortly after unofficial Syrian media circulated information about unexpected security changes affecting sensitive security centers in Syria. The new promotions were issued amidst rising discussions about the Syrian authorities taking decisive steps toward security reform, potentially including the merging of several security branches under the General Security Directorate. Sources indicated that there might also be a merger of the Military Intelligence Directorate with Air Force Intelligence under the name of the Army and Armed Forces Intelligence.
According to leaks, Major General Kifah Melhem issued an integration decision on the 20th of this month based on Assad's directives, according to the opposition site "Voice of the Capital." The previous source indicated that Damascus plans to "dissolve the Political Security Directorate and the Criminal Security Administration and police in the coming days, merging them into a new agency under the Ministry of Interior, known as Syrian General Security."
It is believed that the official appointment of Major General Kamel Hassan as head of Military Intelligence might suggest that the plan to merge the military and air intelligence units has not yet matured and requires additional time and study. Earlier this year, "Voice of the Capital" revealed that there is a Russian plan to restructure Syrian security agencies, which began in 2019. This Russian plan aims to change the structure of security branches in Syria and organize their intelligence operations, as they have become, following the outbreak of the crisis in 2011, merely separate formations loyal to internal or external factions.
