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A Top Syrian Intelligence Officer Is Killed in Fighting
Source: New York Times
A Top Syrian Intelligence Officer Is Killed in Fighting
By HWAIDA SAAD and ANNE BARNARD
Published: October 18, 2013
BEIRUT, Lebanon — One of the Syrian government’s most prominent intelligence officers, Maj. Gen. Jamea Jamea, was killed during fighting in the eastern provincial capital of Deir al-Zour, Syrian rebels and the state news media said on Friday as government warplanes bombed the city after several days of fierce clashes.
General Jamea, killed Thursday, is the most senior security figure confirmed dead in more than a year. He was respected in Syria’s powerful inner circles of intelligence and military leaders after a long career as a Syrian strongman in Lebanon and most recently for “doing a good job” against the uprising at home, according to a Syrian in contact with senior security figures.
The European Union appeared to have a similar view of his importance, if a different response. In August 2011, it placed sanctions on General Jamea, freezing his assets and denying him a visa for travel in the European Union, for his role in “repression and violence against the civilian population.”
That such a notable figure was still commanding operations in Deir al-Zour suggested that President Bashar al-Assad was still committing important resources to checking rebel advances in remote, rebellious eastern Syria. And this was despite the views of many pro- and antigovernment analysts that the Syrian government had written off any hope of regaining full control of the area.
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By HWAIDA SAAD and ANNE BARNARD
Published: October 18, 2013
BEIRUT, Lebanon — One of the Syrian government’s most prominent intelligence officers, Maj. Gen. Jamea Jamea, was killed during fighting in the eastern provincial capital of Deir al-Zour, Syrian rebels and the state news media said on Friday as government warplanes bombed the city after several days of fierce clashes.
General Jamea, killed Thursday, is the most senior security figure confirmed dead in more than a year. He was respected in Syria’s powerful inner circles of intelligence and military leaders after a long career as a Syrian strongman in Lebanon and most recently for “doing a good job” against the uprising at home, according to a Syrian in contact with senior security figures.
The European Union appeared to have a similar view of his importance, if a different response. In August 2011, it placed sanctions on General Jamea, freezing his assets and denying him a visa for travel in the European Union, for his role in “repression and violence against the civilian population.”
That such a notable figure was still commanding operations in Deir al-Zour suggested that President Bashar al-Assad was still committing important resources to checking rebel advances in remote, rebellious eastern Syria. And this was despite the views of many pro- and antigovernment analysts that the Syrian government had written off any hope of regaining full control of the area.
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Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/19/world/middleeast/top-syrian-intelligence-officer-is-killed-in-fighting.html
