Salim Idris
Salim Idris | |
|---|---|
| سليم إدريس | |
| Advisor to the National Academy of Military Engineering at the Ministry of Defense | |
| Assumed office 9 October 2025 | |
| President | Ahmed al-Sharaa |
| Defense Minister of the Syrian Interim Government | |
| In office 31 August 2019 – 15 November 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jawad Abu Hatab |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Hamada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1958 (age 67–68) Al-Mubarakiya, Homs Governorate, Syria |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Ba'athist Syria (1979 – July 2012) Syrian National Coalition (December 2012–February 2025) |
| Branch/service | Syrian Army (1979 – July 2012) Free Syrian Army (July 2012–2016) Syrian National Army (2016–2021) |
| Years of service | 1979–2021 |
| Rank | Brigadier general (Syrian Army) Major general (Syrian opposition) |
| Unit | Corps of Engineers |
| Battles/wars | |
Salim Idris (Arabic: سليم إدريس, romanized: Salīm Idrīs; born 1958) is a Syrian military officer and former rebel leader during the Syrian Civil War. He served as the minister of defense of the Syrian Interim Government and chief of staff of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) of the Syrian National Army, a Syrian rebel faction.
He has a PhD in electrical engineering and speaks five languages, including English. An East German-trained electronics professor, he was a brigadier general in the Syrian Army when he defected in July 2012. During the civil war against the Assad regime, Idris was widely considered to represent the moderate elements of the Syrian opposition, as armed opposition leaders under his leadership subscribed to the pro-democracy Proclamation of Principles.