Dawoud Rajiha

Dawoud Rajiha has been Syria's minister of defense since August 2011, before which he was the Chief of Staff of the Army. An artillery specialist, he graduated from the Military Academy at age 20 and held several prestigious positions in the Syrian Army before becoming Chief of Staff in 2009. Rajiha is a Greek Orthodox Christian, a rarity in the upper echelons of Syrian leadership, which is dominated by members of the Alawite faith.

Rajiha was chief of staff as the Syrian uprising began, and several soldiers who defected to Riyad al-Asad's Free Syrian Army have accused Rajiha and other top Army officials of ordering them to fire on civilians and torture protesters. He became chief of staff after his predecessor resigned, citing health issues. The European Union has instituted a travel ban for both men and frozen their assets because of their participation in the atrocities in Syria.

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