The president of Syria is the commander in chief of the country's armed forces. The defense minister position is held by one of the three deputy prime ministers. The ultimate military authority, however, lies with the president. A member of the Alawite minority, President Bashar al-Assad has followed in his father's footsteps, appointing Alawites to high positions of authority in both the government and the military. The defense minister is the deputy commander in chief of the armed forces, and directly under him are the chief of staff and the commanders of three services.
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