Syria: Sharia Reorganizes Security Agencies
As part of a process to restructure its security apparatus and distribute responsibilities among security and military leadership, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa issued a new package of appointments in security institutions today, covering several key positions.
Al-Khatib, previously known before the fall of the Assad regime by the nom de guerre “Abu Ahmad Hudud,” has served as Minister of Interior since March 29, 2025, and headed the General Intelligence Directorate between December 2024 and May 2025.
Born in 1987 in the town of Jaroud near Damascus, al-Khatib studied architecture at Damascus University before leaving Syria in 2008. He rose to prominence during the Syrian war within armed factions, later assuming leadership and security roles in Jabhat al-Nusra, and subsequently in Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). He also oversaw the establishment of the General Security Agency in areas under HTS control.
Among the prominent figures appointed by al-Sharaa is Major General Abdul Qader Tahhan, formerly known by the nom de guerre “Abu Bilal al-Quds,” who was appointed head of the General Intelligence Directorate. Born in Aleppo in 1980, Tahhan has served as Deputy Minister of Interior since February 2026.
Tahhan studied Islamic jurisprudence and the Arabic language, and participated in armed struggle starting in 2011. He founded the “Jerusalem Battalion,” which later became the “Jerusalem Islamic Battalions,” before joining Jabhat al-Nusra and subsequently HTS.
The security restructuring comes amid a dangerous phase in Syria’s current situation, marked by a series of incidents in the capital Damascus and other regions over recent weeks, prompting authorities to intensify measures and reorganize operational mechanisms within security institutions.
As for Hussein al-Salama, born in 1984 in the town of al-Shahil near Deir ez-Zor, he served as head of the General Intelligence Directorate since May 2025 before being appointed deputy director of the National Security Office.
