Naji Jamil

Naji Jamil was a retired Syrian Air Force officer who served as its Commander from 1971 to 1976. A key figure in the Syrian military-security apparatus, his career was deeply intertwined with the political structure of the Ba'ath Party, holding seats on both its Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Regional Command] and Central Command of the [Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|Central Committee].

Military career

Naji Jamil was born in Deir ez-Zor in 1932. He joined the Military College, graduating in 1954. He was then sent to the United Kingdom to study military aviation. Jamil began his career as a fighter pilot in the Syrian Air Force. He rose through the ranks and, by the time of the October War in 1973, he was commander of the Air Force and therefore commandant of all aerial operations. He was also present in his function for the initial stage of the Syrian intervention in the Lebanon.
Like other Ba'athist officers, he participated in the 1963 and the 1966 Syrian military coups. He sided with Hafez al-Assad and Mustafa Tlass in their struggle against their rival Salah Jadid, until Assad succeeded in assuming power following the Corrective Movement in 1970.
During his eight years in this position, Jamil became known as one of Hafez al-Assad's most prominent officers, as well as a Sunni Muslim personality whose presence Assad ensured at the height of his power as part of his four-man Regional Command.
Concurrent with his role as Air Force commander, Jamil was appointed the Head of the National [Security Bureau of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region|National Security Bureau] which oversees and coordinates between all of Syria's extensive security services from 1971 to 1978.
Jamil was strangely widely reported as being executed in 1982, despite being alive and retaining his military rank. Jamil died in 2014 in Damascus.