| Birth Place: | Jableh, Latakia Governorate, Syria |
| Allegiance: | Syria |
| Branch: | Syrian Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1977–2018 |
| Rank: | Major general |
| Battles: | Syrian civil war |
| Office: | Director of Military Intelligence Directorate |
| Predecessor: | Abdel-Fatah Qudsiyeh |
| Successor: | Mohamed Mahala |
| Termstart: | July 2012 |
| Termend: | March 2015 |
Rafiq Shahadah (Arabic: رفيق شحادة, born 1956) is a retired Syrian Army major general. He was head of the Military Intelligence Directorate and the chief of staff of the Syrian Army's operations in Eastern Syria.[1]
Shahadah was born in Jableh, Latakia Governorate, in 1956.[2]
Shahadah was an adviser to President Bashar Al-Assad on strategic questions and military intelligence. At the initial phase of Syrian war Shahadah was serving as a security official in Homs.[3] During his tenure Marie Colvin, a war correspondent, was killed in an attack in February 2012 which was confirmed by Shahadah who stated "Marie Colvin was a dog and now she’s dead. Let the Americans help her now."[3]
Shahadah was appointed chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate in July 2012, replacing Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, who then became the deputy director of the National Security Bureau.[4] [5]
In 2015, Shahadah was dismissed from his role as director of Military Intelligence Directorate, following a dispute with Lt. General Rustum Ghazaleh.[6] After him, Mohamed Mahala was appointed to the post.[7] Until 1 January 2018, Shahadah was head of the Military Security Committee in Deir Ezzor.[8] In July 2020, Shahadah was named as the head of the military office at the Syrian Presidency.[9]
On 24 August 2011, the European Union sanctioned Shahada and stated that he was the head of military intelligence's branch 293 which is charged with internal affairs in Damascus.[10] [11] The EU accused him of being "directly involved in repression and violence against the civilian population."[12] The same day, the Treasury of the United Kingdom also froze his assets.[13] The Swiss government sanctioned him the following month based on the reasons given by the EU.[14] Canada banned him from the country in October 2011.[15]