Rustum Ghazaleh
| Rustum Ghazaleh | |
|---|---|
| Commander of the Syrian National Police | |
|
In office 2005 – 24 April 2015 |
|
| Leader | Bashar al-Assad |
| Head of the Syrian National Intelligence Agency | |
|
In office 2006 – 24 April 2015 |
|
| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Prime Minister |
Muhammad Naji al-Otari Adel Safar Riyad Farid Hijab Wael Nader al-Halqi |
| Preceded by | Rafiq Shahadah |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
3 May 1953 Qarfa, Daraa Governorate, Syria |
| Died | 24 April 2015 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Political party | Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Syria
|
| Service/branch | Syrian Arab Army |
| Years of service | 1973-2015 |
| Rank |
 Lt. General
|
| Unit | 112 Mechanized Brigade Military Intelligence Political Security Directorate |
| Commands | Syrian Forces in Lebanon |
| Battles/wars |
1982 Lebanon War Syrian Civil War |
Rustum Ghazaleh (Arabic: رستم غزالة) also transl. from Arabic as Rostom Ghazale, Rustom Ghazalah, Rustom Ghazali; 3 May 1953 – 24 April 2015) was a Syrian military and intelligence officer.
Ghazaleh was born into a Sunni Muslim family in Qarfa village in Daraa Governorate on 3 May 1953.
Ghazaleh joined the Syrian Arab Army as a first lieutenant and platoon commander of a mechanized infantry (BMP-1) unit in 1973, just in time for the Yom Kippur War but did not see frontline combat. He later trained in artillery and military intelligence in the Soviet Union. He was later an artillery spotter and commander of a mechanized battalion during the Lebanese Civil War. He was appointed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2002 to succeed the late Ghazi Kanaan as head of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon. He frequently traveled to the Bekaa valley where he had a residence and his headquarters in Anjar, and has been accused of involvement in the Bekaa drug trade and other smuggling ventures.
In early 2005, the killing of Rafik Hariri led to intense pressure on Syria. Ghazale's and Kanaan's foreign assets were frozen by the United States for their role in the alleged occupation of Lebanon and other suspected irregularities. Syria eventually withdrew its 15,000 man strong army. Ghazaleh relocated to Syria. However, some Lebanese and foreign observers alleged that Syria keeps interfering with Lebanese politics through parts of its intelligence apparatus left behind in the country; Syria denies the charges. Kanaan later allegedly committed suicide.
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Wikipedia