Ali Abdullah Ayyoub

Lt. General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub is a senior Syrian military commander and current Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Arab Army. He was appointed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the 18 July 2012 during the Syrian civil war.

The appointment of Ayyoub as Chief of the General Staff was a result of Fahd Jassem al-Freij promotion to the post of Defense Minister and Deputy Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, in the wake of the 2012 Damascus bombing.

Ayyoub previously served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, with responsibility for the co-ordination and movements of Syrian Army units during the Syrian civil war. As a result, he was seen as a logistical key during the early crackdown of protests.

Ayyoub is actively involved in government efforts to retake and re-assert army control in the rebel-held areas of Damascus and Aleppo.