Born in Daraa in the Hauran region of Syria, Suidani became one of the most prominent Ba'athists in the Syrian Arab Army, and a close confidant of Syrian presidents Amin al-Hafiz and Salah Jadid. Following the 1963 Syrian coup d'état, Suidani was assigned to head the Syrian Intelligence Directorate under president al-Hafiz. He personally led the operation that uncovered Israeli spy Eli Cohen in 1965. Following the 1966 Syrian coup d'état, Suidani was promoted to the rank of major general (Liwa) and given command of the Syrian Arab Army under president Jadid.