Dawoud Rajiha

Dawoud Abdallah Rajiha (‎; 1947 – 18 July 2012) was a Syrian military officer who served as the Minister of Defense of Syria from August 2011 to July 2012 when he was assassinated along with other senior government officials and military officers in a bombing claimed by Syrian rebel forces during the country's Civil War. From 2009 to 2011, Rajiha served as chief of staff of the Syrian Army.

Early life Rajiha, a Greek Orthodox Arab Christian, was born in Damascus in 1947. A specialist in artillery, he graduated from Syria's military academy in 1967. In 2005, he received a promotion to the rank of general called Imad (a rank in the Syrian armed forces between major general and lieutenant general). He held this position in 2011, when the Syrian civil war began. On 8 August 2011, he was chosen by President Bashar al-Assad to replace Mahmud as minister of defense. In June 2012, the matter of Rajiha's alleged death was permanently resolved when it was confirmed that he remained Assad's defense minister in the newly formed cabinet.

Assassination and funeral Almost two months after the date of his alleged death, Rajiha was assassinated in a bombing of a meeting of the Central Crisis Management Cell held at the Syrian National Security Building at Rawda Square, Damascus. Among the others killed in the bombing were Hasan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat. Fahd Jassem al-Freij was named by President Assad as Rajiha's successor as minister of defense, while it was announced that Addounia TV would broadcast the minister's funeral. A state funeral was held for him, Hasan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat in Damascus on 20 July 2012. Bashar al-Assad did not participate in the ceremony and was represented by vice president Farouk al-Sharaa. A military ceremony was also held for him and other two senior officials, Hassan Turkmani and Assef Shawkat, in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Mount Qasioun, overlooking Damascus.

Personal life Rajiha was married and had four children.