However , on 18 July 2012 , after Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha was assassinated in the 2012 Damascus bombing , Freij was appointed by Bashar al-Assad to succeed Rajiha . He was also named as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces
2012 Damascus bombing
18 July 2012 Damascus bombing
Fahd Jassem al-Freij