The Air Force Intelligence Directorate (
Arabic: إدارة المخابرات الجوية,
romanized: Idarat al-Mukhabarat al-Jawiyya) is an
intelligence service of
Syria, possibly the country's most powerful,[1] owing its importance to
Hafez al-Assad's role as the
Air Force commander.[1]
Despite its name, it is mainly involved with issues other than air force intelligence,[2] and took an active part in the suppression of the
Muslim Brotherhood rebellion in the 1980s.[3] Agents of this service have frequently been stationed in Syrian embassies or branch offices of the
national airline.[4]
The service was headed for nearly thirty years by Maj. Gen.
Muhammad al-Khuli, who was trusted by Hafez al-Assad and had an office adjacent to the president's in the presidential palace.[3]
In 1995, it was headed by Ibrahim Huwayji.[5]
As of 2023, it is headed by Major General
Ghassan Jaoudat Ismail.[6][7] Ghassan previously served as a security official in the eastern governorate of
Deir ez-Zor. He is a part of
Bashar al-Assad's inner circle,[8] though he has criticized "the decision of the leadership" to not immediately crush the
2011 Syrian uprising in its very beginning, making him a
hardliner in the Syrian leadership.
The service also took part in the efforts to put down the
2011 Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad's government. It is known to have been active in the town of
Talkalakh near the
Lebanese border.[9]
Deputy Director: Fu'ad Tawil (2012) was sanctioned by European Union for "the use of violence across Syria and intimidation and torture of protestors."[16]