Former HTS leader Hussein Al-Salama tapped to head Syrian intelligence

Syria's transitional authorities have appointed Hussein Abdullah Al-Salama as the new head of the General Intelligence Directorate, replacing Anas Khattab, who recently assumed the post of interior minister in the newly formed government.

While the appointment was not officially announced by Syrian authorities, sources close to the government confirmed the move to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Arabic-language edition of The New Arab.

Al-Salama, widely known by his nom de guerre Abu Musab al-Shuhail after his hometown of Shuhail in Deir az-Zour province in eastern Syria, was born in 1948 and was a prominent figure in Syria's opposition circles, both politically and militarily.

He was a founding member of the Eastern Mujahideen Shura Council, a coalition of opposition factions in eastern Syria, and later held several senior roles in Hayaat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Al-Salama was among the first to join anti-regime protests in Deir az-Zour at the start of the 2011 Syrian uprising, sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, battling regime forces and later led the rebels' fight against the Islamic State group in eastern Syria between late 2013 and early 2014.

Within HTS, he served in several senior capacities, including as head of the eastern region, administrative director, and chair of the grievance committee. He also oversaw the General Security Directorate in northern Syria and was reportedly the first to enter Deir az-Zour's Baddiya region following the withdrawal of both regime and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) units.

Al-Salama holds a technical degree from the Institute of Technical Observers in Damascus and a diploma in administration and economics.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, and the subsequent dissolution of HTS, he was appointed governor of the eastern provinces of Deir az-Zour, Raqqa, and Hassakeh. He resigned a month later to focus on leading negotiations with the SDF.

He subsequently held direct talks with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, which led to the signing of a landmark agreement in March 2025 between Abdi and Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

As part of his new role, Al-Salama will join Syria's newly established National Security Council, formed on 13 March. The council includes the ministers of interior, defence, and foreign affairs, and is chaired by President Al-Sharaa.