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
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
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
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 news network Alikhbaria.[8][9]
References
- ^ "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" [The Ministry of Interior issues a schedule of appointments for internal security commanders in the governorates]. 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" [The commander of internal security in Sweida denies to Al-Ikhbariya that he attended meetings with the Israeli occupation]. Alikhbaria Syria (in Arabic). 27 May 2025. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.