Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra (Arabic: مرهف أبو قصرة), also known by his nom de guerre Abu Hassan al-Hamawi[b] and Abu Hassan 600[c], is a Syrian military officer and politician who is currently serving as Minister of Defense in the Syrian transitional government since 21 December 2024.

His appointment comes as part of a broader effort to institutionalise and unify the military forces of the former Syrian opposition.[1]

Early life and education

Abu Qasra holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering. Before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, he worked in his field of study. With the escalation of the conflict, he utilized his engineering expertise to support the armed opposition.[1]

Career

Abu Qasra emerged as a prominent figure in the military efforts of the opposition forces. He served as a military capabilities engineer, organizing and leading operations in opposition-held areas. Over the years, he gained recognition for his role in coordinating and executing key military strategies. As a senior figure of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, he carried the nom de guerre Abu Hassan 600 or Abu Hassan al-Hamwi.[2] As the head of HTS’ military wing, Abu Qasra was responsible for the creation HTS’ drone unit, the Shaheen Brigades, which were named by Abu Qasra himself. He was also one of the key ringleaders in the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives.[3]

Minister of Defense

On 21 December 2024, Abu Qasra was appointed Minister of Defense by the transitional leadership,[4] with the announcement made by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the General Commander of the Military Operations Command. The appointment came with significant talks to merge all opposition factions into a single institution under the Ministry of Defense, marking a turning point in efforts to unify military operations in post-Assad Syria.[1] On 29 December, al-Sharaa announced the promotion of several officers, including Abu Qasra, who was elevated to the rank of Major-General.[5]

On 29 March 2025, a second transitional government was formed, in which Abu Qasra maintained his position as minister of defense.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ As de facto leader until 29 January 2025.
  2. ^ Arabic: أبو حسن الحموي
  3. ^ Arabic: أبو الحسن 600

References

  1. ^ a b c "الجولاني يعين أبو قصرة وزيرا للدفاع ويبحث دمج الفصائل" [Al-Jolani Appoints Abu Qasra as Minister of Defense and Discusses Merging Factions]. Sky News Arabia (in Arabic). 21 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Syria's new rulers name defence, foreign ministers as interim cabinet takes shape". France 24. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  3. ^ Christou, William (13 December 2024). "Syrian rebels reveal year-long plot that brought down Assad regime". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Syrian authorities appoint HTS figures as foreign, defence ministers". Al Jazeera English. 21 December 2024. Wikidata Q131531801. Archived from the original on 21 December 2024.
  5. ^ "بينهم وزير الدفاع.. القيادة العامة تعلن عن ترقيات جديدة في الجيش السوري" [Including the Minister of Defense.. the general leadership announces new promotions in the Syrian army]. Shaam News Network (in Arabic). 29 December 2024. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
  6. ^ "President al-Sharaa announces formation of the New Government: We are witnessing the birth of a new phase in our national process". Syrian Arab News Agency. 30 March 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Hassan_600
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