Syria's Assad Fires Two Top Spy Chiefs

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Syrian President Bashar Assad has fired two top intelligence chiefs after a fight between the two officials, a high-ranking security source in Damascus told AFP on Friday.

"General Rustom Ghazaleh, head of political intelligence, and General Rafiq Shehadeh, head of military intelligence, were fired at the beginning of the week by President Assad after a violent dispute between the two men," the source said.

Ghazaleh has been replaced by his former deputy, Nazih Hassoun, with Mohamed Mahalla taking over as military intelligence chief, the source added.

The two men were replaced after a violent argument over Ghazaleh's involvement in the southern front of the conflict in Syria, according to the source.

Ghazaleh had reportedly sought greater involvement in the battle against rebel fighters in southern Daraa province, where he was born.

But Shehadeh "was categorically opposed to him taking part in the battle" being waged in the area by regime troops backed by Lebanon's Hizbullah, the source said.

"A violent disagreement erupted and Shehadeh's men beat up Ghazaleh badly," the source said.

Ghazaleh was briefly hospitalized after the incident two weeks ago, but was readmitted later on suffering complications related to hypertension.

The source said Ghazaleh was currently in "critical condition".

Ghazaleh and Shehadeh both took their posts in July 2012, after being promoted following a bombing that killed four top regime figures.

Shehadeh was previously head of military intelligence in central Homs province, an early bastion of the opposition to Assad's regime.

Ghazaleh was head of military security in Damascus before his 2012 promotion.

He is considered a strongman of Assad, since he became president in 2000, succeeding his father Hafez.

In 2002, Ghazaleh was named head of Syrian military intelligence in Lebanon, where he was accused of intervening extensively in the country's political affairs.

He was also frequently named by witnesses as a suspect in the planning of the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, though he has not been indicted by the international tribunal prosecuting the murder.

Comments 26
Missing humble 20 March 2015, 14:33

Butcher, criminal, assassin, barbarian, satanic soul...

Missing humble 20 March 2015, 14:48

Mastul w habileh. I am not with Geagea, but YOU are a follower of the traitor Caporal.

Thumb _mowaten_ 20 March 2015, 17:01

Whole story is on a "if you feel like believing AFP" basis.
To me it doesn't make any sense, I call bull. Those who want to go hysterical on it already did (visibly), but time will tell.

Thumb canadianpaul 20 March 2015, 17:04

You call bull, because Assad is an angel. God forbid he orders the killing of 2 people, let alone 200,000+ of his own people.

Look, there's some dirt. Go bury your head in it.

Default-user-icon hey! (Guest) 20 March 2015, 17:38

mowaten it is sometimes more prudent keep quiet, so you don't keep looking like a fool. This Story first broke on Wednesday live on MTVs Bimawbou3ieh by on of the panelists the pro Hezbollah journalist Ali Youssef Hijazi who is also very close to the Syrian regime. It was since reported by much of the medias in Lebanon.

Missing helicopter 20 March 2015, 17:47

Firing them is an improvement over Suicide with multiple shots to the head, wouldm'y you agree Mowaten?
Ghazi Kanaan did not have the honor of being fired because he could not be trusted with all the shady secrets of this regime.

Thumb _mowaten_ 20 March 2015, 17:55

Who said anything about assad being an angel? I said it doesnt make sense, but if you want to believe it be my guest. I bet you're of those who went bonkers on the #putinisdead hype last week.

Thumb liberty 21 March 2015, 07:58

to me your whole premise mowaten does not make any sense.

Missing humble 20 March 2015, 14:46

Listen, listen, listen (Oyez, Oyez, Oyez..):
JUST received this info from ex-rabiyeh, the little gangster imbassil bought a house in London for 16 million pounds....
Followers, shut your mouth and follow

Thumb canadianpaul 20 March 2015, 16:17

You don't say? Imbassil got rich quick? No, I don't believe it? He worked sooo hard to assemble all these millions...

Missing humble 20 March 2015, 17:24

Tex:
I did ask. Why didn't he buy in Paris? The answer was twofolds. His english is better than his french and his wife hates Paris because of the bad times when the Caporal was in exile having to shut up for 15 years.

Missing coolmec 20 March 2015, 15:39

This ghazali is the one who stole millions of dollars from Lebanon. They beat the shit out of him he fell from Bashar's grace. watch him found dead soon

Thumb Lebfrcan 20 March 2015, 15:48

:) Maybe the tribunal should start hinting at Assad, maybe he commits suicide and end the suffering of the syrians and by extension the lebanese.

Missing youssefhaddad 20 March 2015, 16:10

Evil is like a wild fire, it will ultimately burn itself out.

Missing coolmec 20 March 2015, 16:10

@lebfrcan
I wish that will happen but what are the chances? this guy is like our politicians he is glued on his seat

Thumb Lebfrcan 20 March 2015, 16:40

@coolmec: One can only hope....

@anonymetexasusa: Even though most of the regime members are thugs and murderers, I believe Assad himself gave the order as he did before to silence the ones that might be incriminated and by association incriminate Assad.

Missing coolmec 20 March 2015, 17:03

@lebfrcan
Indeed, remember Ghazi Kanaan he committed 'suicide" so they say...

Thumb shab 20 March 2015, 17:04

Looool

Missing coolmec 20 March 2015, 17:04

@anonym
The level of civility. I can only imagine how they treated the Lebanese during their occupation of Lebanon, very civilized indeed...

Missing humble 20 March 2015, 17:27

He is being treated at the American Hospital in Beirut. Thanks to whom? The caporal.

Default-user-icon simply observing history (Guest) 20 March 2015, 18:37

ALLAH kbir, soub7ano

Default-user-icon ditto (Guest) 20 March 2015, 18:41

FT just stick to one account like everybody else.

Default-user-icon mazen (Guest) 20 March 2015, 19:39

samleb they want to spare you the embarrassment, you should thank them.

Thumb megahabib 20 March 2015, 23:05

And Assad lives on a Russian ship, right?

Missing Ghazanfar 21 March 2015, 00:38

My deepest condolences to you Zappa and to all the other Syrians and wannabe Syrians trolling around here

http://www.shaamtimes.net/news-detail.php?id=26319

I don't think there is a need to explain to you that shaamtimes is a pro Syrian regime website, who knows you may already work there

Missing people-power 21 March 2015, 00:47

Ghazaleh didn't want the Iranians using his house so he blew it up...

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentary/565009-beaten-but-not-broken