Hikmat al-Shihabi
Encyclopedia
Hekmat AlShehabi (b. Al-Bāb
, Aleppo, 1931) is a former Syria
n career military officer who served as the chief of staff of the Syrian Army
between 1974–1998.
and the United States
. In 1970 he earned a Soviet degree in intelligence services. In April 1971 he was named head of intelligence services of the Syrian Army
(military intelligence). He was promoted to a general the following year, and supervised the department of military security. After the 1973 Yom Kippur War
, he led the Syrian delegation to the United States in April 1974, negotiating the conditions of the Syrian–Israeli disengagement. On 12 August 1974 he was appointed chief of staff of the Syrian Army, assisted by Colonels Ali Duba
and Ali Aslan
, replacing Yusuf Shakkur, who was promoted to deputy defense minister. In December 1983, while President Hafez al-Assad
was ill, Shihabi known for his loyalty was part, along with General Mustafa Tlass
and Ali Duba
, of the committee in charge of running the country. Between 1994 and
1995 he was part of a delegation that traveled to the United States to discuss peace negotiations with Israel. He is known for being a tough negotiator.
where he has been living there with his elder son. General AlShehabi returned to Syria a few times and has been received by president Bashar Assad once to refute any allegations about his disloyalty.
According to informed sources, Bahjat Suleiman, the head of internal affairs at the General Security Directorate and one of Bashar's closest advisers and an Alawite, made leaks to Al-Hayat, a Lebanese newspaper, taunting the clean reputation of General AlShehabi because he was afraid that he might be a threat to the presidency.
Al-Bab
Al-Bāb is a Syrian city administratively belonging to the Aleppo Governorate. Al Bab is located northeast of Aleppo and has an area of 30 km². Al-Bab has an altitude of 471 meters. It has a population of 144,705 as of 2007, making it the 8th largest city per geographical entity in Syria...
, Aleppo, 1931) is a former Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n career military officer who served as the chief of staff of the Syrian Army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
between 1974–1998.
Career
Hekmat AlShehabi began his career in aviation, training in the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1970 he earned a Soviet degree in intelligence services. In April 1971 he was named head of intelligence services of the Syrian Army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
(military intelligence). He was promoted to a general the following year, and supervised the department of military security. After the 1973 Yom Kippur War
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to 25, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria...
, he led the Syrian delegation to the United States in April 1974, negotiating the conditions of the Syrian–Israeli disengagement. On 12 August 1974 he was appointed chief of staff of the Syrian Army, assisted by Colonels Ali Duba
Ali Duba
Ali Duba is a former head of the Syrian military intelligence and was a close adviser to the Syrian president Hafez al-Assad...
and Ali Aslan
Ali Aslan
Ali Aslan is a former chief of staff of the Syrian Army, a member of the Central Command of the Baath Party and a close confidant of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad.-Career:...
, replacing Yusuf Shakkur, who was promoted to deputy defense minister. In December 1983, while President Hafez al-Assad
Hafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
was ill, Shihabi known for his loyalty was part, along with General Mustafa Tlass
Mustafa Tlass
Lt. Gen. Mustafa Tlass is a Syrian politician and a long time minister of defense, now retired.-Rise to power:Tlass was born in the Syrian town of al-Rastan near the city of Homs to a prominent Sunni Muslim family. He joined the Ba'ath Party at the age of 15, and met Hafez al-Assad when studying...
and Ali Duba
Ali Duba
Ali Duba is a former head of the Syrian military intelligence and was a close adviser to the Syrian president Hafez al-Assad...
, of the committee in charge of running the country. Between 1994 and
1995 he was part of a delegation that traveled to the United States to discuss peace negotiations with Israel. He is known for being a tough negotiator.
Resignation
In July 1998, after twenty-four years as army chief of staff, he submitted his resignation just a few months prior to reaching the retirement age which would have eventually forced him out of service. General AlShehabi resigned while Hafiz Assad was in power. General AlShehabi moved permanently to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he has been living there with his elder son. General AlShehabi returned to Syria a few times and has been received by president Bashar Assad once to refute any allegations about his disloyalty.
According to informed sources, Bahjat Suleiman, the head of internal affairs at the General Security Directorate and one of Bashar's closest advisers and an Alawite, made leaks to Al-Hayat, a Lebanese newspaper, taunting the clean reputation of General AlShehabi because he was afraid that he might be a threat to the presidency.