Political Security Directorate

Organization

The Political Intelligence Directorate was supervised by the Ministry of Interior. 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. It was divided into two departments:

• Internal Security Department (ISD)
  • Investigative Branch
  • Operations Branch
• External Security Department (ESD)
  • Arab Affairs Branch
  • Refugee Affairs Branch
  • Zionist and Jewish Affairs Branch

Directors

• Ahmad Sa'id Salih (Early 80s —1987)
• Adnan Badr Hassan (1987–2002)
• Ghazi Kanaan (2002–2004)
• Muhammad Mansoura (2004–2009)
• Mohammed Dib Zaitoun (2009 – 25 July 2012)
• Rustum Ghazali (25 July 2012 – 24 April 2015) :* Head of Investigative branch: Brig. Gen. Makhmoud al-Khattib (2011). :* Head of Operations branch: Brig. Gen. Mohamed Heikmat Ibrahim (2011).
• Nasser Muhammad Al-Ali (24 April 2015–2017)
• Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun (2017–26 November 2018)
• Hossam Louka (26 November 2018–July 2019)
• Nasser Muhammad Al-Ali (July 2019–5 February 2021)
• Ghaith Shafeeq Deeb (5 February 2021–December 2024)

Regional Directors

• Rif Dimashq branch: Brig. Gen. Sameer al-Sheikh (1993–2005)
• Aleppo branch: Brig. Gen. Akram Ali Muhammad (2009–2013)
• 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". He was replaced by Brig. Gen. Nasser al-Ali.
• Damascus branch: Brig. Gen. Riad al-Shahada (2020–2024)

Other Syrian intelligence agencies

• National Security Bureau
• General Intelligence Directorate
• Military Intelligence Directorate
• Air Force Intelligence Directorate

References

References

1. "تعيين الشرع رئيسا لسوريا في المرحلة الانتقالية".
2. "Herzliya Conference Bashar's Syria".
3. "Syria, Intelligence and Security". Espionageinfo.
4. (30 July 2012). "Bashar al-Assad's inner circle". BBC News.
5. (8 November 2003). "Global Intelligence: The World's Secret Services Today". Zed Books.
6. (30 July 2012). "Bashar al-Assad's inner circle". BBC News.
7. (1 May 2022). "Installing Major General Ghaith Shafiq Fayyad Deeb as Head of Political Security".
8. John Pike. "Syria Intelligence and Security Agencies". Globalsecurity.org.
9. link. (18 May 2016 , Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, {{ISBN). 0-275-99015-X p.214
10. Rathmell, Andrew. (1996). "Syria's Intelligence Services: Origins and Development". The Journal of Conflict Studies.
11. (2002). "The Annual Register: A Record of World Events 2002 - Keesings Worldwide". Keesing's Worldwide.
12. (12 October 2005). "A rather convenient suicide". The Economist.
13. (19 June 2005). "Bahjat Suleiman Moved along with Other Security Chiefs". Syria Comment.
14. "Political security department". Cablegatesearch.
15. Ahed Al Hendi. (3 May 2011). "The Structure of Syria's Repression". Foreign Affairs.
16. (30 July 2012). "Bashar al-Assad's inner circle". BBC.
17. "By all means necessary". Human Rights Watch.
18. Jihad Yazigi. (24 September 2019). "Who's Who: Major General Husam Muhammad Louka".
19. (2 December 2021). "Syria Regime Appoints Ghaith Shafiq Fayyad Head of Political Security". The Syrian Observer.
20. [https://x.com/putintintin1/status/1813302032876380440?t=yscr0b2pSjG4TRBtT6AZQA&s=19 Brigadier Sameer al-Sheikh from Idlib was serving in political security branch in Damascus countryside governorate circa 1993-2005]
21. [https://alwatan.sy/archives/388953الرئيس الأسد يصدر مرسومين بتعيين أربعة محافظين جدد]
22. (10 May 2011). "Council Regulation (EU) No 442/2011 of 9 May 2011 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria". [[Official Journal of the European Union]].
23. (26 December 2020). "طالت 15 موقعاً ... النظام يجري تنقلات وتعيينات لقادة ميليشياته والأفرع الأمنية التابعة له".