Leaders of Syria
(Syrian Arab Republic)
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Parties and organizations: ALM: Arab Liberation Movement - Baath: Socialist Arab Rebirth Party - FSA: Free Syrian Army - HI: Independence Party - HIWBS: Movement for Justice and Development in Syria - HJ: Republican Party - HS: People's Party - HSDS: Syrian Democratic People's Party - HSQ: Syrian National Party - IRM: Independent Revolutionary Movement - KD: Democratic Bloc - KW: National Bloc - NCSROF: National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces - SNC: Syrian National Council - SCTC: Syrian Council of Tribes and Clans

Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.


Heads of the State
President of the Republic
Shukri al-Quwwatli              17 Aug 1943 - 30 Mar 1949 (†1968) KW

Chairmen of the Supreme Military Council 
Husni al-Zaim                   30 Mar 1949 - 26 Jun 1949 (†1949) military
Muhammad Sami Hilmi al-Hinnawi  14 Aug 1949 - 15 Aug 1949 (†1950) military

President of the Republic (1)
Hashim Bay Khalid al-Atassi     15 Aug 1949 -  2 Dec 1951 (†1960) KW

Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 
Adib ash-Shishakli               2 Dec 1951 -  3 Dec 1951 (†1964) military

Presidents of the Republic
Fawzi as-Silu                    3 Dec 1951 - 11 Jul 1953 (†1972) military 
Adib ash-Shishakli              11 Jul 1953 - 25 Feb 1954 (†1964) military/ALM	
Maamun Shafiq al-Kuzbari        26 Feb 1954 - 28 Feb 1954 (†1998) n/p (acting)
Hashim Bay Khalid al-Atassi     28 Feb 1954 -  6 Sep 1955 (†1960) KW
Shukri al-Quwwatli               6 Sep 1955 - 22 Feb 1958 (†1968) HSQ

United Arab Republic (2)        22 Feb 1958 - 28 Sep 1961

Prime Ministers acting as heads of State
Maamun Shafiq al-Kuzbari        29 Sep 1961 - 20 Nov 1961 (†1998) n/p (acting)
Izzat an-Nuss                   14 Dec 1961 - 14 Dec 1961 (†1972) military (acting)

President of the Republic
Nazim al-Qudsi                  14 Dec 1961 -  8 Mar 1963 (†1998) HS

Chairmen of the National Revolutionary Command Council
Louai al-Atassi                  9 Mar 1963 - 27 Jul 1963 (†2003) military/Baath
Muhammad Amin al-Hafiz          27 Jul 1963 - 13 May 1964 (†2009) military/Baath 

Chairman of the Presidential Council
Muhammad Amin al-Hafiz          13 May 1964 - 25 Feb 1966 (†2009) military/Baath

Heads of State
Nur ad-Din Mustafa al-Atassi    25 Feb 1966 - 18 Nov 1970 (†1992) Baath
Ahmad al-Hasan al-Khatib        18 Nov 1970 - 22 Feb 1971 (†1982) Baath        
Abu Sulayman Hafiz al-Assad     22 Feb 1971 - 14 Mar 1971 (†2000) military/Baath

Presidents of the Republic
Abu Sulayman Hafiz al-Assad     14 Mar 1971 - 10 Jun 2000 (†2000) Baath
Abdul Halim Khaddam             10 Jun 2000 - 17 Jul 2000 (†2020) Baath (acting)
Bashar al-Assad                 17 Jul 2000 -                     Baath

(1) Prime minister to 19 Aug 1949 and president of the Republic since 5 Sep 1950.
(2) Syria was a founding component of the United Arab Republic (UAR) along with Egypt in this period.

Heads of Government
Prime Ministers
Faris al-Khouri                 14 Oct 1944 -  1 Oct 1945 (†1962) KW
Saadallah al-Jabiri              1 Oct 1945 - 16 Dec 1946 (†1947) HI
Khalid al-Azm                   16 Dec 1946 - 29 Dec 1946 (†1965) KW
Jamil Mardam Bey                29 Dec 1946 - 17 Dec 1948 (†1960) HJ
Khalid al-Azm                   17 Dec 1948 - 30 Mar 1949 (†1965) KW
Husni al-Zaim                   17 Apr 1949 - 26 Jun 1949 (†1949) military
Muhsin al-Berazi                26 Jun 1949 - 14 Aug 1949 (†1949) n/p
Hashim Bay Khalid al-Atassi     17 Aug 1949 - 24 Dec 1949 (†1960) KW
Nazim al-Qudsi                  24 Dec 1949 - 27 Dec 1949 (†1998) HS
Khalid al-Azm                   27 Dec 1949 -  4 Jun 1950 (†1965) KW
Nazim al-Qudsi                   4 Jun 1950 - 27 Mar 1951 (†1998) HS
Khalid al-Azm                   27 Mar 1951 -  9 Aug 1951 (†1965) KD
Hassan al-Hakim                  9 Aug 1951 - 13 Nov 1951 (†1988)   
Zaki al-Khatib                  13 Nov 1951 - 28 Nov 1951 (†1961) (acting)
Maaruf ad-Dawalibi              28 Nov 1951 - 29 Nov 1951 (†2004) HS      
Fawzi as-Silu                    3 Dec 1951 - 19 Jul 1953 (†1972) military  
Adib ash-Shishakli              19 Jul 1953 -  1 Mar 1954 (†1964) military/ALM  
Sabri al-Assali                  1 Mar 1954 - 18 Jun 1954 (†1976) HSQ  
Said al-Ghazzi                  18 Jun 1954 -  3 Nov 1954 (†1967) n/p     
Faris al-Khouri                  3 Nov 1954 - 13 Feb 1955 (†1962) HS
Sabri al-Assali                 13 Feb 1955 - 13 Sep 1955 (†1976) HSQ  
Said al-Ghazzi                  13 Sep 1955 - 14 Jun 1956 (†1967) n/p
Sabri al-Assali                 14 Jun 1956 -  6 Mar 1958 (†1976) HSQ  

Chairmen of the Executive Council of the Northern (Syrian) Region of the United Arab Republic
Nur ad-Din Kuhala                7 Oct 1958 - 20 Sep 1960         Baath, n/p
Abdul Hamid Sarraj              20 Sep 1960 - 16 Aug 1961 (†2013) military

Prime Ministers
Maamun Shafiq al-Kuzbari        28 Sep 1961 - 20 Nov 1961 (†1998) n/p
Izzat an-Nuss                   20 Nov 1961 - 14 Dec 1961 (†1972) military  
Maaruf ad-Dawalibi              22 Dec 1961 - 28 Mar 1962 (†2004) HS  
Ahmad Bashir al-Azmah           16 Apr 1962 - 14 Sep 1962 (†1992)         
Khalid al-Azm                   17 Sep 1962 -  9 Mar 1963 (†1965) n/p
Salah ad-Din Bitar               9 Mar 1963 - 12 Nov 1963 (†1980) Baath
Muhammad Amin al-Hafiz          12 Nov 1963 - 13 May 1964 (†2009) military/Baath
Salah ad-Din Bitar              13 May 1964 -  3 Oct 1964 (†1980) Baath
Muhammad Amin al-Hafiz           4 Oct 1964 - 23 Sep 1965 (†2009) military/Baath
Yussuf Zuaiyin                  23 Sep 1965 - 21 Dec 1965 (†2016) Baath 
Salah ad-Din Bitar               1 Jan 1966 - 23 Feb 1966 (†1980) Baath 
Yussuf Zuaiyin                  25 Feb 1966 - 29 Oct 1968 (†2016) Baath 
Nur ad-Din Mustafa al-Atassi    29 Oct 1968 - 21 Nov 1970 (†1992) Baath 
Abu Sulayman Hafiz al-Assad     21 Nov 1970 -  3 Apr 1971 (†2000) military/Baath
Abdul Rahman Khleifawi           3 Apr 1971 - 21 Dec 1972 (†2009) Baath 
Mahmoud al-Ayyubi               21 Dec 1972 -  7 Aug 1976 (†2013) Baath 
Abdul Rahman Khleifawi           7 Aug 1976 - 27 Mar 1978 (†2009) Baath
Muhammad Ali al-Halabi          27 Mar 1978 -  9 Jan 1980 (†2016) Baath
Abdul Rauf al-Kasm               9 Jan 1980 -  1 Nov 1987         Baath
Mahmoud al-Zuabi                 1 Nov 1987 - 13 Mar 2000 (†2000) Baath
Muhammad Mustafa Mero           13 Mar 2000 - 10 Sep 2003 (†2020) Baath
Muhammad Naji al-Otari          10 Sep 2003 - 14 Apr 2011         Baath
Adel Safar                      14 Apr 2011 - 26 Jun 2012         Baath
Riyad Farid Hijab               26 Jun 2012 -  6 Aug 2012         Baath
Omar Ghalawanji                  6 Aug 2012 - 11 Aug 2012         Baath (acting)
Wael Nader al-Halqi             11 Aug 2012 -  3 Jul 2016         Baath
Imad Khamis                      3 Jul 2016 - 11 Jun 2020         Baath
Hussein Arnous                  11 Jun 2020 -                     Baath (acting to 2 Sep 2020) 

Governments and organizations in rebellion
Free Syrian Army (FSA) (established 29 Jul 2011)

Commander-in-chief
Col. Riad Mousa al-Asaad  29 Jul 2011 -             military

Chiefs of Staff of the Supreme Military Council
Gen. Salim Idris           8 Dec 2012 - 16 Feb 2014 military
Gen. Abdul Ilah al-Bashir 16 Feb 2014 -    Oct 2014 military
Gen. Albay Ahmad Berri       Oct 2014 -    Dec 2014 military
Gen. Abdul Karim al-Ahmad    Dec 2014 -    Jul 2015 military (disputed) 
Gen. Albay Ahmed Berri       Jul 2015 -             military (disputed)


National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCSROF) and Syrian Interim Government (SIG)
(NCSROF established 11 Nov 2012, Idlib-based, then Istambul; SIG established 18 Mar 2013, Azaz-based) Chairmen Moaz Al-Khatib 11 Nov 2012 – 22 Apr 2013 n/p George Sabra 22 Apr 2013 – 6 Jul 2013 HSDS/SNC (acting) Ahmad al-Jarba 6 Jul 2013 – 9 Jul 2014 SNC Hadi al-Bahra 9 Jul 2014 – 4 Jan 2015 n/p Khaled Khoja 4 Jan 2015 - 5 Mar 2016 n/p Anas al-Abdah 5 Mar 2016 - 6 May 2017 HIWBS/SNC Riad Seif 6 May 2017 - 6 May 2018 n/p Abdul Rahman Mustafa 5 May 2018 - 29 Jun 2019 n/p Anas al-Abdah 29 Jun 2019 - 12 Jul 2020 HIWBS/SNC Naser al-Hariri 12 Jul 2020 12 Jul 2021 IRM Salem al-Meslet 12 Jul 2021 - SCTC Prime Ministers Ghassan Hitto 18 Mar 2013 – 14 Sep 2013 n/p (acting) Ahmad Touma 14 Sep 2013 - 16 May 2016 n/p Jawad Abu Hatab 16 May 2016 - 10 Mar 2019 n/p Abdul Rahman Mustafa 29 Jun 2019 - n/p Chairmen of the Syrian National Council (SNC) (major member of NCSROF, established 23 Aug 2011, Istanbul-based) Burhan Ghalioun 29 Aug 2011 – 10 Jun 2012 n/p Abdul Baset Sieda 10 Jun 2012 - 9 Nov 2012 n/p George Sabra 9 Nov 2012 - HSDS Chief of Staff of the Syrian National Army (SNA) and minister of Defence of the SIG (SNA evolved from the FSA in 2017) Hasan Hamadah Nov 2021 - military Prime Ministers of the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) (established 2 Nov 2017, Idlib-based) Muhammad al-Sheikh 2 Nov 2017 - 18 Aug 2018 n/p Muhammad Jamal Shahoud 18 Aug 2018 - 10 Dec 2018 n/p (acting) Fawaz Hilal 10 Dec 2018 - 18 Nov 2019 n/p Ali Abdul Rahman Keda 18 Nov 2019 - n/p Caliphs of the Islamic State (Caliphate proclaimed 29 Jun 2014, Raqqa-headquartered to Apr 2017; last Syrian territory lost 23 Mar 2019) Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 29 Jun 2014 - 26 Oct 2019 (†2019) Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi 31 Oct 2019 - 3 Feb 2022 (†2022) Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi 10 Mar 2022 - 15 Oct 2022 (†2022) Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi 30 Nov 2022 - 29 Apr 2023 (†2023) Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi 3 Aug 2023 -

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