Ali Hammoud (Arabic: علي حمود, born 1944) is a former Syrian intelligence officer and general who served as minister of interior from 2001 to 2004.

Ali Hammoud
Minister of Interior
In office
December 2001 – October 2004
PresidentBashar al-Assad
Prime MinisterMuhammad Mustafa Mero
Preceded byMohammad Harba
Succeeded byGhazi Kanaan
Personal details
Born
Ali Haj Hammoud

1944 (age 79–80)
Homs
Political partySyrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Military service
Rank Major General

Early life

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Hammoud was born in Homs into an Alawite family in 1944.[1][2]

Career

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Hammoud served as head of the general security administration and involved in suppressing the Islamic revolt during the period of 1976–1982.[1] He was an intelligence officer served in West Beirut.[3] Then he was made Syria's military intelligence chief in Beirut and had the rank of brigadier general.[4] During his term in Lebanon, he had close ties with Emile Lahoud.[5] In May 1988 while serving as military intelligence chief in Lebanon Hammoud and three other Syrian military officers, Saeed Bairaqdar, Ghazi Kanaan and Zuheir Mustat, escaped an assassination in Ghobeiry district of Beirut.[6]

Hammoud was named the head of the General Security Directorate in October 2001, replacing Ali Houri in the post.[2][7] Shortly after he was appointed interior minister in December 2001 in a cabinet reshuffle by Bashar al-Assad and replaced Mohammad Harba as interior minister.[1][8][9] The cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Mero.[10] Hammoud was also promoted to the rank of major general.[11] Hisham Ikhtiar succeeded Hammoud as the head of the General Security Directorate.[12] Hammoud served as interior minister until October 2004 when he was replaced by Ghazi Kanaan in a cabinet reshuffle.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Eyal Zisser (June 2004). "Bashar Al Assad and his Regime- Between Continuity and Change". Orient. 45 (2): 239–256.
  2. ^ a b Gary C. Gambill (February 2002). "The Military-Intelligence Shakeup in Syria". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 4 (2).
  3. ^ "Irish envoy meets Syrian". The Bulletin. Beirut. 15 July 1990. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Syria Rejects Iranian Role in Beirut Force". Los Angeles Times. Beirut. AP. 24 May 1988. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  5. ^ Gary C. Gambill; Ziad K. Abdelnour; Bassam Endrawos (November 2001). "Dossier: Emile Lahoud". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 3 (11).
  6. ^ Nora Boustany (27 May 1988). "4 Syrian Generals Escape Beirut Assassination Bid". The Washington Post. Beirut. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Assad Launches Major Cabinet Reshuffle". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 3 (11). November 2001.
  8. ^ "New Syrian governments formed, 33 ministers, including 4 prime minister deputies, 17 ministers for the first time". Arabic News. 14 December 2001. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  9. ^ Sami Moubayed (20–26 December 2001). "Ushering in the new". Al Ahram Weekly. 565. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013.
  10. ^ "New Syrian Government Formed; Veteran Guards Retain Defence and Foreign Portfolios". Albawaba. 14 December 2001. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  11. ^ The Middle East and North Africa 2003 (49th ed.). London; New York: Europa Publications. 2003. p. 1019. ISBN 978-1-85743-132-2.
  12. ^ Shmuel Bar (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview". Comparative Strategy. 25 (5): 353–445. doi:10.1080/01495930601105412. S2CID 154739379.
  13. ^ "Obituary: Ghazi Kanaan". BBC. 12 October 2005. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
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Political offices
Preceded by
Mohammad Harba
Interior Minister
2001–2004
Succeeded by