Position: Commander of the Syrian Republican Guard
Association: Assad Regime
Loyalty: Bashar al-Assad
Most Notorious Crimes:
- Led the Republican Guard, an elite military unit central to regime defense and offensive operations
- Directed campaigns involving heavy urban warfare, siege tactics, and the suppression of opposition-held areas
- Implicated in operations marked by widespread destruction, civilian casualties, and forced displacement
Profile
Adel Ghanem served as a high-ranking commander within the Syrian Republican Guard, one of the regime’s most elite and loyal military formations tasked with protecting the Assad family and key strategic areas. Throughout the Syrian war, Ghanem played a critical role in coordinating and executing military campaigns aimed at regaining control over rebel-held territories.
Under his command, the Republican Guard became notorious for its aggressive urban combat tactics, including extensive use of artillery and airstrikes in densely populated areas, contributing to significant civilian suffering. Ghanem oversaw sieges that starved opposition strongholds into submission, often resulting in mass displacement and humanitarian crises.
He maintained close ties with other senior military and intelligence officials, working in concert to suppress dissent through coordinated operations involving Syrian forces, Iranian-backed militias, and foreign fighters. Though less publicly visible than some regime figures, Ghanem’s influence within the military hierarchy was substantial, especially regarding operations in Damascus and its surrounding regions.
International observers and human rights organizations have implicated Ghanem in war crimes related to indiscriminate attacks on civilians and the use of torture and extrajudicial killings by forces under his command.
Identity
Full Name: Adel Ghanem (عادل غانم)
Date of Birth: Unknown
Place of Birth: Syria
Nationality: Syrian
Career Timeline
Pre-2011: Senior officer in the Syrian Arab Army; involved in training and strategic planning.
2011–2018: Appointed Commander of the Republican Guard; led multiple military campaigns against opposition forces.
2011–2018: Oversaw urban combat operations in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, and surrounding regions.
2012–2018: Coordinated with Iranian-backed militias and foreign allied forces in operations against rebel-held areas.
2018–2024: Maintained command influence in elite units, ensuring regime protection and consolidation of contested territories.
Crimes & Responsibilities
- Urban Warfare & Civilian Harm: Directed offensives that relied on artillery, airstrikes, and siege tactics, causing widespread civilian deaths and infrastructure destruction.
- Forced Displacement: Oversaw operations that forcibly displaced tens of thousands of residents from opposition-held areas.
- Coordination with Militias: Worked closely with Iranian-backed militias and other allied forces to suppress dissent and eliminate opposition presence.
- Detention & Torture: Linked to extrajudicial killings, torture, and other human rights abuses committed by Republican Guard units under his command.
Legal Proceedings & Sanctions
Listed by some human rights organizations as responsible for violations of international humanitarian law.
However, there’s no publicly documented criminal charges or international arrest warrants and there are no EU, US. or UN sanctions reported specifically against him.
Current Status/Whereabouts
Unknown following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.
