Spotlight | Syria
Spymaster Ali Mamlouk has slipped from public view

The Intelligence Gazette
Taiwanese in Milan, Damascus and the Arab League, Russian customs chief

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Milan to Moscow via Damascus.

Italy/TaiwanTaipei uses business to renew political dialogue in Milan

SyriaArab League invitation but not reintegration on the cards for Damascus

RussiaCustoms chief succession causes headache

The Intelligence Gazette
Hossam Louka in Riyadh, State Department's generosity to Chisinau, France's Zahra center

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Riyadh to Washington, and Paris to Tehran.

Syria/Saudi ArabiaHossam Louka pops up in Riyadh.

United States/MoldovaChisinau biggest receiver of US fund to counter Russian influence.

France/IranFormer pro-Iranian Centre Zahra France official fails to block asset freeze.

Syria, Turkey
Turkish and Syrian spy chiefs Hakan Fidan and Ali Mamlouk talk again at Russia's initiative

Keen to play the role of mediator between Turkey and Syria, Russia sponsored a new meeting between the spy chiefs of the two countries, which have been at daggers drawn since 2011. The results were not convincing but the meeting at least allowed Ankara and Damascus to set out their demands.

Syria
Damascus' red tape tactics to keep watch on Syrians aboard

The Damascene authorities, now no longer concerned about maintaining their rule, has come up with a cunning way to keep a tally of Syrians living aboard, many of whom were once defectors or opponents. This administrative blackmail comes with exorbitant fees that can help fill the Assad regime's coffers.

Iran, Lebanon, Syria
Between Beirut and Tehran, Ali Mamlouk gets back into regional affairs

Syrian spymaster Ali Mamlouk appears to be back in favour with President Bashar Al Assad, who recently sent him to Tehran to negotiate reducing the influence of Shi'ite militia groups under Iran's control. Mamlouk is also watching over the upcoming elections in Lebanon and giving a helping hand to pro-Syrians in the race.

France, Syria
Syria creeps into France's presidential election campaign

French presidential candidates will not be able to avoid talking about Syria, whether on issues relating to French special forces, repatriating French nationals in prison or the threat still posed by Islamic State. With just two months to go to the first voting round, Intelligence Online looks at their positions.

Syria, Turkey
Turkish AKP ally Khalil Ibrahim controls electricity supplies to northern Syria

After its military operations in northern Syria, Turkey is starting to monopolise the supply of electricity in the region via AK Energy, a move that has also created work for Turkish companies close to the Syrian border.

Syria, United States
USSOCOM to face Assad forces on the Iraq-Syria border

Despite pleas from the US to repoen the Til Koçer crossing between Iraq and Syria, the Kurdish authorities have decided to give its control to Syrian forces, a move that further weakens Washington's position in northeastern Syria.

Syria
Spymaster Hussam Luka given mission to conquer eastern Syria

Lauded for crushing the last flutters of rebellion in southern Syria, Hussam Luka, the head of Bashar al-Assad's general intelligence service, has been instructed to apply the same methods in the east of the country, betweeen two foreign assignments, paving the way for him to be put in charge of strategic Kurdish matters.

Egypt, Syria
Hossam Louka's star ascends within Syrian intelligence

Syrian spymaster Ali Mamlouk was noticably absent from the Arab Intelligence Forum, a major regional security meeting held in Cairo in November that was overseen by Abbas Kamel. But Mamlouk's absence was to Hossam Louka's advantage.

Jordan
GID chief plays key role in restoring Jordan's diplomatic relations with Syria

Under King Abdullah II's instructions, Jordan's intelligence chief Ahmed Husni began working to restore diplomatic relations with neighbouring Syria back in 2019. After the first formal contacts between the two countries on 3 October, Jordan's next goal is to get Syria back into the Arab League.

Iraq, Syria, Turkey
Fidan and Mamlouk to thrash out Turkish-Syrian business in Baghdad

Turkey and Syria's spymasters are due to meet in Baghdad later this month to tackle bilateral sticking points such as the refugee crisis, the Kurds, and the situation in Idlib, under the watchful eye of the region's new mediator, Iraq's prime minister Mustafa Al Kadhemi.

Egypt, Iran, Iraq
Egyptian spymaster Abbas Kamel discusses Egypt-Iraq rapprochement with Tehran

Even as Cairo and Baghdad publicise their strategic partnership, Egyptian intelligence services are talking with Tehran behind the scenes on how best to protect Egyptian interests in Iraq.

Syria
Bashar Al Assad appoints new spymasters for a new diplomatic era

President Bashar Al Assad has overhauled Syria's intelligence services in recent weeks in a bid to foster the regime's legitimacy.

Jordan, Syria
GID/National Security discussions

Meetings between Jordanian and Syrian intelligence officials have accelerated in [...]