Ahmed al-Dalati
Ahmed al-Dalati | |
|---|---|
أحمد الدالاتي | |
| Commander of Internal Security in Suwayda | |
| Assumed office 25 May 2025 | |
| President | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| Governor of Quneitra | |
| Assumed office 8 March 2025 | |
| President | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| Preceded by | Tony Aziz Hanna[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1985 (age 39–40) Kfeir al-Zayt, Rif Dimashq Governorate, Syria |
| Education | Technical Institute of Computer Science in Damascus (BE) |
| Nickname | Abu Muhammad al-Shami (Arabic: أبو محمد الشامي) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
|
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Battles / wars | |
Ahmed Haitham al-Dalati (Arabic: أحمد هيثم الدالاتي) is a Syrian politician and former military commander, having previously served as deputy commander-in-chief of Ahrar al-Sham. He was appointed governor of Quneitra Governorate by Syria's caretaker government on 8 March 2025, following the fall of the Assad regime, and was appointed commander of Internal Security in Suwayda on 25 May 2025.
Early life and education
[edit]Al-Dalati was born in 1985 in Kfeir al-Zayt in the Wadi Barada region of Rif Dimashq.[2] He completed elementary school in his hometown, then attended middle and high school in Damascus, and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from the Technical Institute of Computer Science in Damascus.[2][3]
Activity during the civil war
[edit]Al-Dalati joined the Syrian opposition in 2011 upon the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. He joined Jaysh al-Islam early on in the war, but after moving to northern Syria in 2015, he joined Ahrar al-Sham, contributing to establishing Ahrar al-Sham in southern governorates such as Damascus and its countryside. In early 2016, he was appointed as the Southern Region Command Officer of Ahrar al-Sham, and later was appointed to the group's Shura Council.[3][4]
He was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of Ahrar al-Sham on 16 June 2021, after Amer al-Sheikh had been appointed leader a year prior to end a leadership dispute between Jaber Ali Pasha and Hassan Soufan.[4][5]
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, he was "one of the most influential figures" in managing and planning military and political operations.[2] In late 2024, he played a "key role" during the Deterrence of Aggression offensive, such as participating in the Battle of Aleppo.[2][6]
Post-Assad
[edit]Following the fall of the Assad regime, he was appointed governor of Quneitra on 8 March 2025, having previously served as deputy governor of Rif Dimashq Governorate to Amer al-Sheikh.[3][2]
On 25 May 2025, he was appointed Internal Security commander of As-Suwayda Governorate, as part of a broader organizational restructuring by the Syrian Ministry of Interior.[7]
Reuters reported on 27 May that, according to Syrian and Western sources, al-Dalati has led diplomatic contacts with Israel, though he officially denied this to Syrian state network Alikhbaria.[8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ "الأسد يعين طبيب أسنان محافظًا للقنيطرة" [Assad appoints dentist as governor of Quneitra]. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 17 October 2024. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Al Mansour, Hadia (9 March 2025). "أحمد الدالاتي يصل إلى القنيطرة بعد تعيينه محافظاً لها" [Ahmed al-Dalati arrives in Quneitra after being appointed as its government]. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. Archived from the original on 9 March 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "المهندس أحمد الدالاتي محافظاً للقنيطرة" [Ahmed al-Dalati appointed Governor of Quneitra]. Al-Thawra. 8 March 2025. Archived from the original on 8 March 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
- ^ a b "أحرار الشام تعيد هيكلة مجلس قيادتها وتستبعد "أبو المنذر" عنه" [Ahrar al-Sham restructures its leadership council and excludes "Abu al-Mundhir" from it]. Syria TV (in Arabic). 4 July 2021. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
- ^ "مجلس "أحرار الشام" ينفي إقصاء القيادة السابقة" [Ahrar al-Sham Council denies excluding former leadership]. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 1 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
- ^ Salem, Mostafa (2 December 2024). "Rebel groups have taken Syria's second-biggest city. Here's who they are". CNN International. Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
- ^ "وزارة الداخلية تصدر جدول تعيينات لقادة الأمن الداخلي في المحافظات". Alikhbaria Syria. 25 May 2025. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
- ^ Azhari, Timour; Al-Khalidi, Suleiman (27 May 2025). "Exclusive: Syria and Israel in direct talks focused on security, sources say". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "قائد الأمن الداخلي في السويداء ينفي للإخبارية حضوره لقاءات مع الاحتلال الإسرائيلي". Alikhbaria Syria (in Arabic). 27 May 2025. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.