Political Security Directorate
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| إدارة الأمن السياسي Idarat al-Amn al-Siyasi | |
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| File:Emblem of Syria (1980–2024).svg | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1971 |
| Dissolved | 8 December 2024 (de facto) 29 January 2025 (de jure)[1] |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Syria |
| Headquarters | Kafr Sousa, Damascus, Syria |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Ministry of Interior |
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The Political Security Directorate (PSD, Arabic: إدارة الأمن السياسي, romanized: Idarat al-Amn al-Siyasi) was an intelligence service of Ba'athist Syria. It was divided into an Internal Security Department and an External Security Department.[2] Intelligence division was affiliated to the Ministry of Interior. Its activities involved the surveillance of the satellite parties of National Progressive Front and was active against the Syrian opposition.[3][4] It monitors literature, print publications, political dissent, and all media outlets.[2][5][6] This intelligence service was headed by Major General Ghaith Shafeeq Deeb from 5 February 2021 until December 2024.[7]
Organization
[edit | edit source]The Political Intelligence Directorate was supervised by the Ministry of Interior.[8] The PSD was also controlled by former President Bashar al-Assad through the National Security Bureau of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Central Command.[9] It was divided into two departments:[10]
- Internal Security Department (ISD)
- Investigative Branch
- Operations Branch
- External Security Department (ESD)
- Arab Affairs Branch
- Refugee Affairs Branch
- Zionist and Jewish Affairs Branch
Directors
[edit | edit source]- Ahmad Sa'id Salih (Early 80s —1987)[10]
- Adnan Badr Hassan (1987–2002)[11]
- Ghazi Kanaan (2002–2004)[12]
- Muhammad Mansoura (2004–2009)[13][14]
- Mohammed Dib Zaitoun (2009 – 25 July 2012)[15][16]
- Rustum Ghazali (25 July 2012 – 24 April 2015)
- Nasser Muhammad Al-Ali (24 April 2015–2017)
- Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun (2017–26 November 2018)[18]
- Hossam Louka (26 November 2018–July 2019)[18]
- Nasser Muhammad Al-Ali (July 2019–5 February 2021)[19]
- Ghaith Shafeeq Deeb (5 February 2021–December 2024)
Regional Directors
[edit | edit source]- Rif Dimashq branch: Brig. Gen. Sameer al-Sheikh (1993–2005)[20][better source needed]
- Aleppo branch: Brig. Gen. Akram Ali Muhammad (2009–2013)[21]
- Daraa branch: Brig. Gen. Atef Najib (2011), the European Union sanctioned him on 9 May 2011 for "being responsible for the violence against protesters in Daraa during the Syrian uprising".[22] He was replaced by Brig. Gen. Nasser al-Ali.[17]
- Damascus branch: Brig. Gen. Riad al-Shahada (2020–2024)[23]
Other Syrian intelligence agencies
[edit | edit source]- National Security Bureau
- General Intelligence Directorate
- Military Intelligence Directorate
- Air Force Intelligence Directorate
References
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- ^ 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, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). p.214
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- ^ Brigadier Sameer al-Sheikh from Idlib was serving in political security branch in Damascus countryside governorate circa 1993-2005
- ^ الأسد يصدر مرسومين بتعيين أربعة محافظين جدد
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