Ministry of Defense (Syria)

Government ministry of Syria responsible for defense affairs

Ministry of Defenseوزارة الدفاع

Agency overview
Formed| 1920; 105 years ago (1920)
Jurisdiction| Government of Syria
Headquarters| Mahdi Bin Baraka Street, Umayyad Square, Damascus
33°30′50.58″N 36°16′42.58″E﻿ / ﻿33.5140500°N 36.2784944°E﻿ / 33.5140500; 36.2784944
Minister responsible|

* Murhaf Abu Qasra

Child agency|

* General Staff of the Army and Armed Forces

Website| www.mod.gov.sy

Politics of Syria

Member State of the Arab League

* * *

Constitution

Human rights

Executive

* President (list)

Ahmed al-Sharaa
* Vice President

Vacant
* Prime Minister (list)

Mohammed al-Bashir
* Deputy Prime Minister

Vacant

Legislature

* Interim Legislative Council

Speaker: Vacant

Judiciary

* High Judicial Council
* Supreme Constitutional Court

Subdivisions

* Governorates
* Districts
* Subdistricts (Nahiyas)
* Cities
* Villages

Elections

* Recent elections

* Presidential: 2007
* 2014
* 2021

* Parliamentary: 2016
* 2020
* 2024

* Political parties

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates

Minister: Asaad Hassan al-Shaybani

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Syria

* * *

* Syrian nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* * *

* UN resolutions on Syria
* Status of the Golan Heights
* Syrian civil war

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The Ministry of Defense (Arabic: وزارة الدفاع) is a government ministry office of Syria, responsible for defense affairs.[1] Murhaf Abu Qasra, Minister of Defense holds the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Armed Forces.[2]

Following the fall of the al-Assad regime in December 2024, transitional prime minister Mohammed al-Bashir has said the defense ministry would be restructured using former rebel factions and officers who defected from Bashar al-Assad’s army.[3]

## Incorporation of rebel groups

[edit]

At the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference, which was held in late January 2025, the Syrian transitional government announced the dissolution of all security agencies of the Ba'athist regime and all militias established by it. In addition, the following Syrian opposition groups are expected to be dissolved and merged into the ministry: Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, Ahrar al-Sham, Jaysh al-Izza, Jaysh al-Nasr, Ansar al-Tawhid, Sham Legion, Al-Firqah Al-Saliheyah (faction in Al-Salihiyya), Jaysh al-Ahrar, Suqour al-Sham Brigades, Jama'at Ansar al-Islam, Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, Liwa al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, Levant Front and the Syrian National Army.[4]

The Ministry of Defense later reported that over 70 armed factions[which?] across six regions in total agreed to participate in the new administration.[5]

However, one leader from the Syrian National Army indicated that the dissolution of different groups will be done "gradually", while a rebel leader from Daraa Governorate confirmed that the rebel groups had been ordered to disband, but that the "implementation" needs more time until more clarity is provided on how the ministry will ultimately be structured.[6]

As of February 2025, the ministry has formed a committee focused on restructuring and managing assets, as well as a "sub-committee" whose purpose is to determine a new "internal structure" for the armed forces.[7]

## Defense ministers

[edit]

### Arab Kingdom of Syria (1918–1920)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Abdul Hamid Pasha Al-Qaltaqi [ar]
(1875–1925) | 9 March 1920  | 3 May 1920  | 55 days  |  | Independent | al-Rikabi II [ar] |
2  |  | Yusuf al-Azma
(1883–1920) | 3 May 1920  | 24 July 1920 †  | 82 days  |  | Al-Fatat | al-Atassi I [ar] |
3  |  | Jamil al-Ulshi
(1883–1951) | 25 July 1920  | 30 November 1920  | 128 days  |  | Independent | al-Droubi [ar]
al-Ulshi I [ar] |

### French Mandate for Syria (1920–1946)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Shukri al-Quwatli
(1891–1967) | 21 December 1936  | 22 March 1938  | 1 year, 91 days  |  | National Bloc | Bey I [ar] |
2  |  | Jamil Mardam Bey
(1895–1960) | 22 March 1938  | 23 February 1939  | 338 days  |  | National Bloc | Bey I [ar] |
3  |  | Mazhar Raslan
(1886–1948) | 23 February 1939  | 5 April 1939  | 41 days  |  | National Bloc | al-Haffar |
4  |  | Nasuhi al-Bukhari
(1881–1961) | 5 April 1939  | 4 July 1939  | 90 days  |  | Independent | al-Bukhari [ar] |
5  |  | Abd al-Ghaffar al-Atrash [ar]
(1879–1942) | 20 September 1941  | 15 March 1942 †  | 176 days  |  | Independent | al-Hakim I [ar] |
6  |  | Hasan al-Atrash [ar]
(1905–1977) | 18 April 1942  | 25 March 1943  | 341 days  |  | Independent | al-Barazi [ar]
al-Ulshi II [ar] |
7  |  | Ata Bey al-Ayyubi
(1874–1950) | 25 March 1943  | 19 August 1943  | 147 days  |  | Independent | al-Ayyubi [ar] |
(4)  |  | Nasuhi al-Bukhari
(1881–1961) | 19 August 1943  | 14 October 1944  | 1 year, 56 days  |  | Independent | al-Jabiri [ar] |
(2)  |  | Jamil Mardam Bey
(1895–1960) | 14 October 1944  | 26 August 1945  | 316 days  |  | National Bloc | al-Khoury I [ar]–II [ar] |
8  |  | Khalid al-Azm
(1903–1965) | 26 August 1945  | 30 September 1945  | 35 days  |  | Independent | al-Khoury III [ar] |
9  |  | Saadallah al-Jabiri
(1892–1947) | 30 September 1945  | 27 April 1946  | 209 days  |  | National Bloc | al-Jabiri II [ar] |

### First Syrian Republic and Second Syrian Republic (1946–1958)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Nabih al-Azma
(1886–1964) | 27 April 1946  | 17 June 1946  | 51 days  |  | National Bloc | al-Jabiri III [ar] |
2  |  | Ahmad al-Sharabati
(1905–1975) | 17 June 1946  | 23 May 1948  | 1 year, 341 days  |  | Independent | al-Jabiri III [ar]
Bey II [ar]–III [ar] |
3  |  | Jamil Mardam Bey
(1895–1960) | 23 August 1948  | 12 December 1948  | 111 days  |  | National Party | Bey III [ar]–IV [ar] |
4  |  | Khalid al-Azm
(1903–1965) | 12 December 1948  | 17 April 1949  | 126 days  |  | Independent | al-Azm II [ar] |
5  |  | Husni al-Za'im
(1897–1949) | 17 April 1949  | 1 July 1949  | 75 days  |  | Independent | al-Za'im [ar] |
6  |  | Abdullah Atfeh
(1897–1976) | 1 July 1949  | 24 December 1949  | 176 days  |  | Independent | al-Barazi [ar]
al-Atassi II [ar] |
7  |  | Fawzi Selu
(1905–1972) | 24 December 1949  | 28 December 1949  | 4 days  |  | Independent | al-Qudsi I [ar] |
8  |  | Akram al-Hawrani
(1911–1966) | 28 December 1949  | 4 June 1950  | 158 days  |  | Arab Party Movement | al-Azm III [ar] |
(7)  |  | Fawzi Selu
(1905–1972) | 4 June 1950  | 13 November 1951  | 1 year, 162 days  |  | Independent | al-Qudsi II [ar]–III [ar]
al-Azm IV [ar]
al-Hakim II [ar] |
9  |  | Zaki al-Khatib
(1887–1961) | 13 November 1951  | 28 November 1951  | 15 days  |  | People's Party | al-Hakim II [ar] |
10  |  | Maarouf al-Dawalibi
(1909–2004) | 28 November 1951  | 29 November 1951  | 1 day  |  | People's Party | al-Dawalibi I [ar] |
(7)  |  | Fawzi Selu
(1905–1972) | 2 December 1951 | 19 July 1953  | 1 year, 229 days  |  | Military | Selu [ar] |
11  |  | Raf'at Khankan
(1903–1970) | 19 July 1953  | 1 March 1954  | 225 days  |  | Military | Shishakli [ar] |
(10)  |  | Maarouf al-Dawalibi
(1909–2004) | 1 March 1954  | 19 June 1954  | 110 days  |  | People's Party | al-Asali I [ar] |
12  |  | Said al-Ghazzi
(1893–1967) | 19 June 1954  | 3 November 1954  | 137 days  |  | Independent | al-Ghazzi I [ar] |
13  |  | Rashad Barmada
(1893–1967) | 3 November 1954  | 13 February 1955  | 102 days  |  | People's Party | al-Khoury IV [ar] |
(4)  |  | Khalid al-Azm
(1903–1965) | 13 February 1955  | 13 September 1955  | 212 days  |  | Independent | al-Asali II [ar] |
(13)  |  | Rashad Barmada
(1893–1967) | 13 September 1955  | 14 June 1956  | 275 days  |  | People's Party | al-Ghazzi II [ar] |
14  |  | Abd al-Hasib Raslan
(1901–1959) | 14 June 1956  | 31 December 1956  | 200 days  |  | Independent | al-Asali III [ar] |
(4)  |  | Khalid al-Azm
(1903–1965) | 31 December 1956  | 22 February 1958  | 1 year, 53 days  |  | Independent | al-Asali IV [ar] |

### United Arab Republic (1958–1961)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Abdel Hakim Amer
(1916–1967) | 22 February 1958  | 28 September 1961  | 3 years, 218 days  |  | National Union | Nasser IV [ar]–V [ar]–VI [ar] |

### Syrian Arab Republic (1961–2024)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government

|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office

| Maamun al-Kuzbari
(1914–1998)| 28 September 1961| 20 November 1961| 53 days|  | Arab Liberation Movement| al-Kuzbari

| Izzat al-Nuss
(1912–1976)| 20 November 1961| 22 December 1961| 32 days|  | Military| al-Nuss

| Rashad Barmada
(1913–1988)| 22 December 1961| 16 April 1962| 115 days|  | People's| al-Dawalibi

| General
Abdul Karim Zahreddine [ar]
(1917–2009)| 16 April 1962| 8 March 1963| 326 days|  | Independent| al-Azma
al-Azm

| Field Marshal
Muhammad al-Sufi
(1927–2018)| 9 March 1963| 11 May 1963| 63 days|  | Independent| al-Bitar I

| Major General
Ziad al-Hariri
(born 1930)| 11 May 1963| 4 August 1963| 85 days|  | Independent| al-Bitar I–II

| Major General
Abdullah Ziadeh
(1915–1998)| 4 August 1963| 14 May 1964| 284 days|  | Independent| al-Bitar III
al-Hafiz I

| Major General
Mamdouh Jaber [ar]
(born 1928)| 14 May 1964| 23 September 1965| 1 year, 132 days|  | Ba'ath Party| al-Bitar IV
al-Hafiz II

| Major General
Hamad Ubayd [ar]
(born 1928)| 23 September 1965| 27 December 1965| 95 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Zuayyin I
10|

| Major General
Muhammad Umran
(1922–1972)| 1 January 1966| 23 February 1966| 53 days|  | Ba'ath Party| al-Bitar V
11|

| Major General
Hafez al-Assad
(1930–2000)| 23 February 1966| 17 March 1971| 5 years, 22 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Zuayyin II
al-Atassi
al-Assad
12|

| Colonel General
Mustafa Tlass
(1932–2017)| 22 March 1972| 12 May 2004| 32 years, 51 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Khleifawi I
[...]
al-Otari
13|

| Lieutenant General
Hasan Turkmani
(1935–2012)| 12 May 2004| 3 June 2009| 5 years, 22 days|  | Ba'ath Party| al-Otari
14|

| Colonel General
Ali Habib Mahmud
(1939–2020)| 3 June 2009| 8 August 2011| 2 years, 66 days|  | Ba'ath Party| al-Otari
Safar
15|

| Colonel General
Dawoud Rajiha
(1947–2012)| 8 August 2011| 18 July 2012 †| 345 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Safar
Hijab
16|

| Colonel General
Fahd Jassem al-Freij
(born 1950)| 18 July 2012| 1 January 2018| 5 years, 167 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Hijab
al-Halqi I–II
Khamis
17|

| Lieutenant General
Ali Abdullah Ayyoub
(born 1952)| 1 January 2018| 28 April 2022| 4 years, 117 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Khamis
Arnous I–II
18|

| Lieutenant General
Ali Mahmoud Abbas
(born 1964)| 28 April 2022| 8 December 2024| 2 years, 224 days|  | Ba'ath Party| Arnous II

### Syrian transitional government (2024–present)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name
(born–died) | Term of office  | Political party  | Government

|
|
|
|
|

Took office  | Left office  | Time in office
1  |  | Murhaf Abu Qasra
(born 1984) | 21 December 2024  | Incumbent | 74 days  |  | HTS | Bashir
| Independent

## Timeline of the ministers since 1958

[edit]

## Military intelligence agencies

[edit]

### Ba'athist Syria

[edit]

* Military Intelligence Directorate
* Air Force Intelligence Directorate

### Current

[edit]

* General Intelligence Service

## See also

[edit]

* Syrian Armed Forces

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "وزارة الدفاع في الجمهورية العربية السور". mod.gov.sy (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
2. ^ "عنوان السيرة الذاتية للعماد علي عبد الله أيوب نائب رئيس مجلس الوزراء- وزير الدفاع" (in Arabic). pministry.gov.sy. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
3. ^ "France returns flag to Damascus embassy as new Syria authorities build contacts with West". Arab News. 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
4. ^ "Syrian Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa Delivers 'Victory Speech,' Outlines Syria's Future Roadmap, Announces Dissolution Of Ba'ath Party, Armed Factions Into New 'Syrian Army'; Military Operations Command Declares Al-Sharaa President Of Syria During Transitional Phase". MEMRI. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
5. ^ "Forging a united front: The challenges of building Syria's new army". The New Arab. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
6. ^ "Syria: What comes after declaration of victory". Enab Baladi. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
7. ^ Lizzie Porter (20 February 2025). "Steep uphill battle: The many challenges in building Syria's new army". The National. Retrieved 27 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Ministry of Defense on Facebook

* v
* t
* e

Syrian ministers of defense

Kingdom of Syria
(1920)|

Kingdom of Syria

* al-Ulshi
* al-'Azma

French Mandate of Syria
(1920–1946)
post established 1932|

French Mandate of Syria

* al-Atrash
* al-Quwatli
* al-Ayyubi
* al-Bukhari

First and Second Syrian Republic
(1946–1958)|

Syrian Arab Republic

* Mardam Bey
* al-Azm
* al-Jabiri
* al-'Azma
* al-Sharabati
* al-Za'im
* Atfeh
* al-Hawrani
* Selu
* Barmada
* al-Khatib
* Khankan
* al-Dawalibi
* al-Ghazzi
* Raslan

United Arab Republic
(1958–1961)|

United Arab Republic

* Amer

Second Syrian Republic
(1961–1963)|

Syrian Arab Republic

* al-Kuzbari
* al-Nuss
* Barmada
* Zahreddine

Ba'athist Syria
(1963–2024)
post-1963 Syrian coup d'état|

Syrian Arab Republic

* al-Sufi
* al-Hariri
* Ziade
* Jaber
* Ubayd
* Umran
* al-Assad
* Tlass
* Turkmani
* Mahmud
* Rajiha
* al-Freij
* Ayyoub
* Abbas

Transitional period
(2024–present)|

Syrian Arab Republic

* Abu Qasra

* v
* t
* e

Ba'athist Syria security forces

Military|

* Ministry of Defense
* Syrian Arab Armed Forces
* Syrian Arab Army
* Syrian Arab Air Force
* Syrian Arab Air Defence Force
* Syrian Arab Navy

Law enforcement|

* Law enforcement in Syria
* Ministry of Interior
* Public Security Police
* Syrian Special Mission Forces

Intelligence|

* National Security Bureau
* General Intelligence Directorate
* Internal Branch - 251
* Political Security Directorate
* Military Intelligence Directorate
* Air Force Intelligence Directorate

Paramilitary/militia|

* Shabiha
* Popular Committees
* National Defence Forces
* Defense Companies
* Struggle Companies

Prisons|

* Adra
* Al-Khatib
* Far' Falastin
* Mezzeh Air Base
* Mezzeh
* Sednaya
* Tadmor

Other topics|

* Human rights
* War crimes

Syria and weapons of mass destruction (Chemical) Human rights in Syria

* v
* t
* e

Government ministries of Syria

* Prime Minister (Deputy)
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Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany

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*[e]: Edit this template
*[No.]: Number
*[Ref.]: References