Ali Haydar (Syrian army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ali Haydar
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| Native name |
علي حيدر
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| Born | 1932 Hallet Ara, Jableh District, Alawite State |
| Died | 5 August 2022 (aged 89–90) Latakia, Syria |
| Allegiance |  Syria |
| Service/ |
 Syrian Arab Army |
| Years of service | 1952–1994 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Unit | 14th Special Forces Division |
| Commands held | Special Forces Command (1968–1988, 1990–1994) |
| Battles/wars |
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Ali Haydar (Arabic: علي حيدر; 1932 – 5 August 2022) was a Syrian military officer. He was known as the "Father of the Syrian Special Forces." He led the Syrian Special Forces for 26 years. Haydar was a very trusted friend and advisor to President Hafez al-Assad. He was one of the most important people in Assad's inner circle.
Born in the village of Hallet Ara, Haydar joined the Ba'ath Party when he was young. He became an officer in the Syrian Army in 1952. This was after he studied at the Homs Military Academy. After the Ba'ath Party took control of Syria in 1963, Haydar was put in charge of Syria's special forces. He strongly supported Hafez al-Assad as he became president. During this time, he was sent to Lebanon during their civil war.
Haydar stood against an attempt to overthrow the government in 1984. This attempt was led by Rifaat al-Assad, Hafez's brother. Haydar remained loyal to Hafez al-Assad. After a health issue, he left his post in 1988. But he returned to lead the special forces again in the early 1990s. He was a Major General when he was removed from his position and briefly held in August 1994. He was treated well during this time and was released without a trial. Haydar died in Latakia at the age of 90.
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Early Life and Family Background
Ali Haydar was born in 1932 in the village of Hallet Ara. This village is in the Jableh District. At that time, it was part of the Alawite State. This state was set up by the French government in Syria.
It is not fully clear which Alawite tribe Haydar belonged to. Some sources say he was from the Khayatin tribe. This tribe was often allied with the Kalbiyya tribe, which the Assad family belongs to. Other sources suggest he might have been from the Haddadin tribe. This was the tribe of Salah Jadid and Hafez al-Assad's wife, Anisa Makhlouf. Haydar's father was a religious leader. His uncle, Ahmad Mohammad Haydar, was also a well-known religious leader. He encouraged Alawites to give up old beliefs and join mainstream Islam.
Ali Haydar was a childhood friend of Hafez al-Assad. Two of Haydar's five children married people from outside the Alawite faith. His son married a Sunni, and his daughter married a Shiite.
Military Career and Leadership
Haydar joined the Ba'ath Party when he was a schoolboy. He became an infantry officer in the Syrian Army in 1952. This was after he studied at the Homs Military Academy.
The Ba'ath Party came to power in Syria after a change in government in 1963. Haydar became the Commander of Syria's Special Forces in 1968. He had trained at the Soviet airborne forces' academy. Haydar stayed close to his childhood friend, Hafez al-Assad. He supported Hafez during the 1970 "Corrective Revolution." This event brought Hafez to power. Haydar gave military help to Hafez during this time. He helped remove Salah Jadid and President Nureddin al-Atassi.
Haydar remained as Commander of the Special Forces under Hafez. He became a very important person in Hafez's inner circle. He was one of Hafez's most loyal officers. Haydar's high position and being from a different Alawite tribe helped Hafez gain more control over the Alawite community. He also did this by arranging marriages and appointing other tribal leaders to important roles.
Haydar's Special Forces grew to 25,000 men. They became a key part of the Syrian government's security. The Special Forces were trained in airborne operations. Their power was only matched by the Defense Companies. These were controlled by Hafez's brother, Rifaat. The 14th Division, led by Haydar, became a strong balance to the Defense Companies. Both groups were mainly airborne divisions. However, the Special Forces did not have the heavy tanks and artillery that Rifaat's forces had. Instead, they specialized in anti-tank operations and sniper warfare. Haydar developed very aggressive tactics and training. The Syrian special forces' snipers became very well-known for their skills.
Under Haydar, the Special Forces units were sent to Lebanon. This was part of the Syrian involvement in the Lebanese Civil War. During this war, they fought against PLO units led by Yasser Arafat.
Haydar left his command in 1988 due to a health issue. However, he returned to his post in the early 1990s. He strongly opposed any peace with Israel at the Madrid Conference of 1991.
Haydar was sent to Lebanon in 1982 after an Israeli attack. His Special Forces fought against the Israeli army. The Special Forces played a key role during that war. They were mainly stationed in Bhamdun and Tripoli. They also remained a key part of Syria's defenses against threats from inside and outside the country. Units were stationed on Mount Qasioun overlooking Damascus, and in the port city of Tartus.
Standing Against a Coup Attempt in 1984
Hafez al-Assad became ill in November 1983. His brother, Rifaat al-Assad, began planning to take over the presidency. Haydar was close to Rifaat. However, he strongly refused when Rifaat asked him for support in the coup. Haydar reportedly said:
"I recognise no leader in the country other than Hafez al-Assad! What I have of power and prestige I owe to him. I am a soldier in his service and a slave to his beck and call. While I am alive I bear obedience to him and will not fall away from him."
Haydar's firm refusal to join any coup showed his loyalty to Hafez. Haydar later faced Rifaat in March 1984. This was when Rifaat tried to carry out his coup. Rifaat's Defense Companies started setting up roadblocks in Damascus. They also tried to take over government buildings and police stations. They even tried to get their forces into the Defense Ministry headquarters.
Haydar sent his Special Forces to confront Rifaat's Defense Companies in Damascus. He used his anti-tank units to challenge Rifaat's T-72 tanks. These tanks were threatening government buildings. Haydar also ordered his sniper units to take important positions near the homes of known Defense Company commanders. This was to create psychological pressure. Sniper units also surrounded the Mezzeh Airbase and other important Defense Company bases. A potential civil war was stopped only because Hafez stepped in. He calmed Rifaat by making him Vice President. Then, he sent Rifaat into exile.
Later Years and Retirement
Ali Haydar, a Major General, was officially removed from his role as Commander of Syria's Special Forces. He was then briefly held on August 3, 1994. Some sources said Haydar was held for not following military orders. Others claimed it was because Haydar had criticized Hafez al-Assad. This criticism was about Hafez bringing Bashar al-Assad back to Syria from London. Bashar was studying there, and Hafez wanted to prepare him to take over after his brother, Basil al-Assad, died. Haydar seemed to object to Hafez's plan to keep the Syrian presidency within the Assad family. It was also suggested that his removal was linked to his strong opposition to peace talks. These talks were happening between Syrian and Israeli representatives in Washington DC at the time.
His removal happened during a time when the Syrian Army was being reorganized. This was done to remove powerful Alawite military leaders. It also aimed to prepare for the transfer of the Presidency from Hafez al-Assad. It was also suggested that Haydar's removal was followed by the removal of other high-ranking Alawite officials. These officials either supported Haydar or shared his views on Hafez's plans for the presidency. Haydar was replaced by Major General Ali Habib. Habib was from the Alawite Matawirah clan. He had previously led the Seventh Mechanized Division. He also led Syrian forces in the 1991 Gulf War. An analyst from Jordan suggested that Habib was chosen because he had shown he would follow Hafez's orders in the Gulf War. This showed his loyalty to Hafez's command.
Despite being held, Haydar was never put on trial or publicly shamed. He was treated well during his short time in custody. He was then released and retired. He remained an important figure in the Syrian Ba'ath Party and the Syrian Army until Hafez's death in 2000. He attended Hafez's funeral. He publicly promised his loyalty to Bashar as the new president. Haydar then retired to his hometown of Hallet Ara. He became very religious in his final years.
Death
Ali Haydar passed away in Latakia, Syria, on August 5, 2022.
