Salim Idris | |
|---|---|
| سليم إدريس | |
 | |
| Advisor to the National Academy of Military Engineering at theMinistry of Defense | |
| Assumed office 9 October 2025 | |
| Defense Minister of theSyrian Interim Government | |
| In office 31 August 2019 – 15 November 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jawad Abu Hatab |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Hamada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1958 (age 66–67) Al-Mubarakiya,Homs Governorate,Syria |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Ba'athist Syria(1979 – July 2012) .svg) Syrian National Coalition(December 2012–present) |
| Branch/service |  Syrian Army(1979 – July 2012) Free Syrian Army(July 2012–2016) Syrian National Army(2016–2021) |
| Years of service | 1979–2021 |
| Rank | Brigadier general (Syrian Army) Major general (Syrian opposition) |
| Unit | Corps of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | |
Salim Idris (Arabic:سليم إدريس,romanized: Salīm Idrīs; born 1958)[1] is a Syrian military officer and former rebel leader during theSyrian Civil War. He served as the minister of defense of theSyrian Interim Government andchief of staff of theSupreme Military Council (SMC) of theSyrian National Army, a Syrian rebel faction.
He has aPhD inelectrical engineering and speaks five languages, includingEnglish.[2] AnEast German-trained electronics professor, he was a brigadier general in theSyrian Army when he defected in July 2012.[3] During the civil war against theAssad regime, Idris was widely considered to represent the moderate elements of theSyrian opposition, as armed opposition leaders under his leadership subscribed to the pro-democracy Proclamation of Principles.[4][5][6][7]
Idris was elected as the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Military Council following its establishment in a conference held inTurkey on 15 December 2012. At the conference, over 550 members of the Syrian revolutionary council, brigades, and battalion commands elected 261 representatives to form the Revolutionary Force Authority. Thirty members were elected to form the SMC, which includes five combat Fronts covering Syria's 14 provinces.[8][9]
In December 2013, Idris was initially reportedly driven out of his headquarters in northern Syria by theIslamic Front into exile inDoha,Qatar, but U.S. officials later said he was in Turkey throughout the incursion.[10] However, the FSA has denied that Idris has left Syria.[11] A few days later,Syrian National Coalition (SNC) Chief of Staff Monzer Akbik said that Idris "has failed to make an institution, I don't think everything can continue in the same way."[12]
Idris was removed from his position as Chief-of-Staff of the FSA's Supreme Military Council in an announcement on 16 February 2014. He was replaced by Brigadier GeneralAbdul-Ilah al-Bashir al-Noeimi.[13][14]
Idris has become increasingly engaged with soliciting aid fromWestern nations since his initial request of specialized training and non-lethal material support from the United States in February 2013.[15] On 30 April 2013 the United States began deliveries ofready-to-eat rations and Warrior Aid and Litter Kits (WALK) to the Free Syrian Army under the oversight of Idris, in what was the first U.S. delivery of tangible aid to Syria's armed opposition.[16]
In May 2013, U.S. SenatorJohn McCain crossed into Syria from Turkey to meet with Idris.[17][18][19] Idris has issued letters and statements toSecretary of StateJohn Kerry, PresidentBarack Obama, and theUnited Nations Security Council to encourage international intervention and support in the ongoingSyrian Civil War.[20][21][22][23][24] In an 8 June 2013 interview withTheNew York Times, Idris outlined that continued international support for the Free Syrian Army, including "game-changing weapons," were required as a precondition for his attendance at planned negotiations withBashar al-Assad inGeneva.[25]
On 31 August 2019, Idris was appointed to the post ofMinister of Defence of theSyrian Interim Government and was thus appointed ascommander-in-chief of theSyrian National Army.[26] As such, he led the SNA into the2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, alongside theTurkish Armed Forces.[27] Idris stated that Turkey-backed Syrian rebels "stand in full force in support of our Turkish brothers in fighting all forms ofterrorism represented by thePKK gangs."[28] He was replaced byHassan Hamada on 15 November 2021.[29]
On 9 October 2025, following thefall of the Assad regime, he was appointed as advisor to the National Academy of Military Engineering.[30]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commander of the Free Syrian Army 8 December 2012 – 16 February 2014 | Succeeded by |
