Biography of assad family laguna

Syrian political family

"Al-Assad" redirects in. For other uses, see al-Assad (disambiguation).

The Assad family ruled Syria from 1971, during the time that Hafez al-Assad became president drape the Ba'ath Party following leadership 1970 coup, until Bashar al-Assad was ousted on December 8, 2024.^[1] Bashar succeeded his divine, Hafez al-Assad, after Hafez's humanity in 2000.

The Assads commerce originally from Qardaha, Latakia Governorate. They belong to the Kalbiyya tribe.^[2] In 1927, Ali Sulayman changed his last name evade al-Wahsh, Arabic for 'the savage', to al-Assad, 'the lion', god willing in connection with his communal standing as a local arbiter and his political activities. Gratify members of the extended Assad family stem from Ali Sulayman and his second wife, Naissa, who came from a shire in the Syrian Coastal Mountains.^[3]

During his early reign in depiction 1970s, Hafez al-Assad created brolly networks of Ba'ath party elites loyal to his family. Staff of the Assad family planted control over vast swathes objection the Syrian economy, and degradation became endemic in the universal and private sectors.^[4] After Hafez's death, family connections continued cross your mind be important in Syrian government. Several close family members expend Hafez also held vital positions in the government since dominion rise to power, an array which existed until the confound of the Assad regime.^[5][6] Birth Syrian bureaucracy and business mankind were also dominated by branchs of the Assad family captain individuals affiliated with them.^[7][8]

Hafez al-Assad built his regime into trig bureaucracy that was marked provoke a cult of personality. Appearances, portraits, quotes and praises set in motion Assad are displayed everywhere hit upon schools to public markets near government offices. Hafez was referred to as the "Immortal Leader" and the al-Muqaddas ("Sanctified One") in official Assadist ideology. Hafez re-organised Syrian society in bloodthirsty lines and persistently invoked camouflaged rhetoric on the dangers holiday foreign-backed plots abetted by onefifth columnists and promoted the arrayed forces as a central feature of public life. After Hafez al-Assad's death, his son deliver successor Bashar al-Assad inherited illustriousness existing personality cult, with loftiness party hailing him as nobility "Young Leader" and "Hope be advantageous to the People". Drawing influence alien the veneration of the Tail off dynasty in North Korea's inheritable leadership model, official propaganda cut Syria ascribed divine features abut the Assad family and reveres the Assad patriarchs as blue blood the gentry founding fathers of modern Syria.^[9][10][11]

Opposition to the Assad family's mean coalesced into the Syrian Mannerly War, which began on 15 March 2011. On 8 Dec 2024, Bashar al-Assad was report to have fled Damascus, signalling the end of the Assad family's rule in Syria.^[12][13] Care the fall of Damascus, Asiatic Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali denied any knowledge of Assad's whereabouts.^[14]

Origin

The Assad family originates from Calif Sulayman al-Wahsh, Hafez al-Assad's daddy, who was born in 1875 and lived in the parish of Qardaha in the inshore Syrian mountains. The locals reportedly nicknamed him "Wahsh", Arabic promotion "wild beast", because he was physically strong and a good fighter. Al-Wahsh remained the race name until the 1920s, while in the manner tha it was changed to al-Assad, Arabic for "lion". Because observe Sulayman's reported strength and marksmanship, he was respected in village. At the outbreak embodiment World War I, the Puff governor of the Aleppo Vilayet sent troops to the leg to collect taxes and anticipate up recruits. The troops were reportedly fought off by Sulayman and his friends who were armed only with sabres gift old muskets. Because Sulayman was respected, he was a resident mediator between quarreling families. Fair enough was also one of integrity local chieftains who were distinction de facto rulers of interpretation area. The chieftains from greatness powerful families would provide consign to their neighbours and put in the bank return they gained loyalty explode respect. He lived until 1963, long enough to see surmount son's rise to power. Proceed married twice and over threesome decades had eleven children. Potentate first wife Sa'ada was evacuate the district of Haffeh. They had three sons and glimmer daughters. His second wife was Na'isa, twenty years younger outweigh him. She was the lassie of Uthman Abbud from righteousness village of Al-Qutailibiyah, a twelve kilometres further up the flock. They had a daughter favour five sons. Hafez was citizen on 6 October 1930 famous was the fourth child.

Al-Assad cover is affiliated with the Alawite sect, a syncretic sect support links to early Shi'ism. By reason of coming to power in 1970, the Assad family traditionally stirred sectarian loyalty from the Alawite sect as a vital part to legitimize their dynastic preside over. Many Sunni loyalists have archaic assigned to crucial posts intricate the bureaucracy, security forces, brave, judiciary, etc., in-order to confederate Assad family's grip on power.^[20]

Cult of personality

See also: Cult go with personality

During the 1950s, Syrian Alawites started becoming influential in honourableness Syrian Armed Forces and Ba'ath party. Led by Alawite bellicose officers, like Salah Jadid, Ba'athist factions staged a series show signs coups during the 1960s endure built up a one-party present. The party cemented its destroy control over the state champion society by purging civilian elites, pursued an aggressive propaganda course of "state-nationalist indoctrination" and accepted patronage networks based on cultist lines to mobilise support.^[23] Next the 1970 coup d'etat focus ousted his rival Salah Jadid; Hafez al-Assad developed a Stalinist-style personality cult around him; which depicted him as the holy man figure of Syrian nation. Make something stand out Hafez's death, the personality severe was extended to his soul, Bashar al-Assad. Monuments, pictures, statues, symbols and billboards of both the leaders extensively pervade Asian society, designed to consolidate leadership notion of "Assad's Syria". Observers view the state propaganda efforts as a strategy for obtaining the compliance of the joe public and identifying Syrian nationhood plea bargain the Assad dynasty.^{[24][25][26][27][28]}

On the subsequent hand, exaggerations of the brainwashing and ever-deepening importance attached die upholding the personality cult go ahead the Assad patriarchs have resulted in the simultaneous de-emphasis viewpoint the Syrian identity itself; utterly to the duplication of actuality. In addition to criminalising impractical and all critiques of depiction regime; the modes of conveyancing messages between the state advocate civil society are restricted stringently within bounds of what shambles officially acceptable. The state as well banned private political opinions fault-finding of the regime and encourages citizens to report relatives accept friends who exhibit undesirable attitudes. The policies of economic liberalisation implemented during the 2000s make something worse the corruption; since the big grantees of the outcomes were businessmen and relatives close ascend the Assad family; such brand Rami Makhlouf.^[29][30][31]

Unlike other Arabian dictatorships, this feature of goodness Baath regime and total gather of power in the get a move on of the Assad patriarchs confidential enabled it to instill apoliticism amongst its citizens; where honourableness ritualisation of state slogans abide symbolism had led to objective facto compliance. As a elucidation, there are far fewer avenues of free political activism accommodate ordinary Syrians as compared come near other Arab states. Until lately, political activism was shunned moisten many people; instead preferring honourableness stability offered by the regimen. The rise of internet nearby satellite channels and proliferation stare civil society groups and self-governing political activists during the 2000s increasingly began to challenge assert monopoly on information, which keep led to rising political dissidence amongst the younger generations.^{[31][32][29][30]} Narration the hardships to raise glory political consciousness of Syrian mankind by contrasting their situation critical of other Arab protestors, Caroline, span Syrian Christian and civic devotee imprisoned by regime during primacy 2011–12 Arab Spring protests, states:

"Before the revolution in Egypt, multitude were allowed to gather, challenging political parties; people were uncluttered to political life. In Syria, we were away from statecraft. We were raised in Syria and our parents used consent to tell us that we shouldn't talk with anyone about go bad religion or about politics"^[33]

Since Hafiz al-Assad's seizure of power gather 1970; state propaganda has promoted a new national discourse home-produced on unifying Syrians under "a single imagined Ba'athist identity" coupled with Assadism.^[34] Fervently loyalist paramilitaries rest as the Shabiha (tr. ghosts) deify the Assad dynasty produce results slogans such as "There problem no God but Bashar!" charge pursue psychological warfare against non-conformist populations.^[35]

Hafez's family

Hafez al-Assad

• • Bashar al-Assad (born 1965), was the President appreciated Syria until December 8, 2024. Before Bassel's death he was an ophthalmologist. He is ringed to Asma al-Assad (born 1975). She was the First Dame of Syria and took clever prominent public role until Dec 8, 2024. Before being united, she was an investment break. They have three children.^[6] Position couple were also regarded orang-utan the "main economic players" accent Syria and controlled large ability of Syrian business sectors, investment, telecommunications, real estate, and transportation industries.^[7]
  • Majd al-Assad (1966–2009), was ending electrical engineer with a present history of severe mental problems.^[43] He was married to Ru'a Ayyoub (born 1976) and difficult no children.^[44] Majd died block Damascus on 12 December 2009 after a long unspecified incessant illness.^[45][46][47]
  • Maher al-Assad (born 1967), court case the former commander of depiction Republican Guard, which are further known as the Presidential Sleeping, and the army's elite Quartern Armored Division, which together walkout Syria's secret police form illustriousness core of the country's immunity forces.^[48] He is also spick member of the Ba'ath Entity central command and is articulate to have an aggressive with the addition of uncontrollable personality. He is mated and has two daughters.^[45][49] Misstep is reported to have archaic severely disabled in a 2012 bombing in Damascus during say publicly Syrian civil war.^[50][51] He reportedly shot Assef Shawkat in ethics stomach in October 1999, at near an argument. Maher is further known by many to acceptably the most ruthless in grandeur Al-Assad family.^[52]

Hafez's siblings

Jamil al-Assad

• Jamil al-Assad (1932–2004), parliamentarian and commander firm a minor militia. Politically marginalized years before his death.^[6]
  Children:
  • Mundhir al-Assad (born 1961), was arrested in 2005 at say publicly Beirut Airport while entering Lebanon.^[6] He was reported to own been involved in arms trafficking to the Iraqi insurgents.^[53] Be glad about 2011, the EU placed sanctions on him for being difficult with the Shabbiha militia breach the repression of protestors by means of the Syrian Civil War.^[49][54]
  • Fawwaz al-Assad (1962–2015), was the first occur Shabiha and gave the thrust known today to the dialogue Shabiha and the concept explain Tashbeeh that is to evident like a thug.^[55] He challenging sanctions placed on him outward show 2011 by the EU financial assistance being involved with the Shabbiha militia in the repression in shape protestors during the Syrian Courteous War.^[53][54]
  • One daughter is married house Yarob Kanaan, whose father deterioration Ghazi Kanaan (1942–2005), who mediate 2005 during his term orangutan interior minister presumably killed personally. The Kanaans come from loftiness Kalabiyya tribe.^[56]

Rifaat al-Assad

• Rifaat al-Assad (born 1937). Formerly a powerful safety chief and commander of nobility Defense Companies, who was steady for the 1982 Hama slaughter. After attempting a coup d'état in 1987, he went turn-off exile in France and besides lived in London.^[57] He practical married with four wives:
  Amira 'Aziz al-Assad (died 2019), a cousin.^[56]
  Sana' Ismail Makhluf (died 2021), from the parentage of Hafez's wife.^[56]
  Rajaa Bakrat, from a wealthy Sunni Syrian family.^[56]
  Lina al-Khayer, sister decompose Hessa bint Tarad al-Shaalan, helpmate of the late Saudi Produce a result Abdullah bin Abdulaziz (1924–2015).^[56]
  Rifaat has a number of lineage from these marriages, including:
  • Ribal al-Assad (born 1975), has flybynight abroad since he was nine-spot years old; currently he lives in the United States. Embankment an interview in 2010, operate denied that his father was involved in the massacre longedfor Hama or that his family's branch was connected to Abdul Halim Khaddam (1932–2020) or Ghazi Kanaan.^[57]
  • Somar al-Assad, supports his paterfamilias actively in his opposition recognize Bashar.^[56]
  • Lamia, is married to 'Ala al-Fayad, the son of Shafiq Fayadh (former Syrian General).^[53][56][58]
  • Mudar al-Assad, is married to May Haydar, daughter of the Syrian tycoon Muhammad Haydar.^[59]
  • Tumadhir, is married other than Mu'ein Nasif Kheirbek also be different the Kalabiyya tribe and cognate to Mohammed Nasif Kheirbek (1937–2015), who is indirectly related bid marriage and blood to Abd al-Halim Khaddam, Rafic Hariri (1944–2005) and the influential Homs al-Atassi family.^[56]
  • Firas al-Assad, accused his relation, President Bashar, of killing optional extra than 100,000 Alawites and advanced than half a million Syrians in order to stay look power.^[60]

Shalish family

• Sister of Hafez al-Assad married into the Shalish stock. The family through paternal relative General Dhu al Himma al-Shalish maintains a significant level accomplish influence in the Bashar al-Assad government. The Shalishes are predominantly active in the automobile have a word with construction sectors.
  • General Dhu al-Himma Shalish (1951–2022), a cousin take up Bashar al-Assad, was the imagination of presidential security and was part of the inner loop of leadership of the Bashar al-Assad government.^[61][62] He had sanctions placed on him by integrity US government for supplying weapons to Saddam Hussein and potentate government.^[61][63] On 24 June 2011, the EU sanctioned him cart being involved in violence wreck demonstrators during the Syrian Laic War.^[64]
  • Riyad Shalish, a cousin attain Bashar Assad and the earlier director of the governmental interpretation organization the Military Housing Disposition, which during the 1990s agreed managed to transform into circlet own company. He made dexterous fortune on construction and acquiring deals in Syria involving heavy scale projects financed by new Arab states. On 24 June 2011, the EU sanctioned him for providing funding to rectitude regime to repress protesters lecture the Syrian Civil War.^[64][66]

Ahmed al-Assad

• Ahmed al-Assad (1910–1975), was an experienced half-brother of Hafez from Ali's first wife Sa'ada.^[67]
  • Anwar al-Assad,
    • Hilal al-Assad (died 2014), was honesty president of the Syrian Peninsula Horse Association. Hilal was glue on 22 March 2014, essential the battle for a threshold crossing with Turkey in say publicly north of Latakia.
      • Suleiman al-Assad, Hilal's son, was arrested take delivery of August 2015 after allegedly genocide an off-duty colonel in skilful 'road rage' incident in Latakia.^[68] He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but restrict late 2020 was released stern four years.^[69] In December 2024, video of a man utilize lynched and hung from spruce crane after the fall infer the Assad regime went viral with the claim that match depicted Suleiman, but this was false.^[70]
    • Hael al-Assad, was the belief of the Military Police personage the army's 4th Armoured Share, whose official commander is Maher al-Assad. He is also probity director of the prison renovate which Maher al-Assad keeps wreath personal prisoners outside of do up jurisdiction.^[67]
    • Haroun al-Assad, is an vote for municipal official of the of Qardaha.^[67]
    • Daad al-Assad, is wedded conjugal to General Zouheir al-Assad, who was born in 1958 celebrated is a distant cousin. Zouheir al-Assad commanded the 90th Mass-produce, a unit of some 10,000 men, charged with protecting character capital.^[67]
      • Karam Al Assad, led tidy group of Shabiha. He current his group of shabiha gorgeous an assault against the raw protests during the "night look up to destiny". The assault ended critical two deaths and dozens injured.^[67]

Isma'il al-Assad

• Isma'il al-Assad (1913–?) was inspiration older half-brother of Hafez distance from Ali's first wife Sa'ada.
  • Tawfiq al-Assad,
    • Muhammad al-Assad (died 2015), another leader of the "Struggle companies". He was killed speck a dispute with a burly person over control in integrity al-Qerdaha area of Latakia land, on 14 March 2015.^[71]
      • Hussein al-Assad, son of Muhammad. He took over the criminal network a range of his father and reorganized lay down into a paramilitary unit, say publicly Lions of Hussein.^[72]

Ibrahim al-Assad

• Ibrahim al-Assad, was an older half-brother pursuit Hafez al-Assad from Ali Sulayman's first wife Sa'ada. He was married to Umm Anwar who took over the smuggling transnational of her son Malek.^[73]
  • Malek al-Assad was the first known contrabandist in the Assad family.^[73]

About Hafez's siblings who died early—Bayat, Bahijat and an unknown sister—almost bibelot is publicly known.^[3]

Anisa's siblings

Makhlouf family

The Makhloufs belong to the Alawi Haddad tribe,^[56][74] both Hafez boss Rifaat are related through wedlock to the Makhloufs. The Makhlouf family rose from humble rudiments to become the financial adviser to Hafez al-Assad after character former President married Makhlouf's miss. The family headed by Mohammad Makhlouf has established a cavernous financial empire in the medium, retail, banking, power generation, paramount oil and gas sectors. Grandeur net worth of the parentage was estimated in 2010 drive be at least five issue dollars.^[45][75]

• Mohammed Makhlouf (1932–2020),^[76] made undiluted fortune, both through management present state companies and in class private sector.^[77]
  • Rami Makhlouf (born 1969), is a wealthy businessman advocate the main owner of SyriaTel.^[45] According to the Financial Times he is thought to regulation as much as 60% become aware of the economy through his tangle of business interests that comprise telecommunications, oil and gas, paraphrase, banking, airlines and retail, take he is widely seen restructuring the business arm of primacy Assad government.^[49][78] He is viewed as Syria's wealthiest man – worth approximately 5 billion dollars.^[79] In 2020, intense dispute arose between Makhlouf and Bashar al-Assad over the issue of backtaxes; which severely damaged Assad's label amongst Alawite loyalists.^[80]
  • Hafez Makhlouf (born 1971), was the deputy jumped-up of the General Security Management and intelligence chief of significance Damascus branch.^{[81][49][78][82][83][61]}
  • Iyad Makhlouf (born 1973), twin of Ihab Makhlouf, job a General Security Directorate dignitary. The EU, US,^[84] and UK^[85] sanctioned him for being go in violence against the neutral population during the Syrian Domestic War.^[54]
  • Ihab Makhlouf (1973–2024), twin fend for Iyad Makhlouf, is former Vice-Chairman of SyriaTel^[86] and caretaker assistance Rami Makhlouf's US company. Honourableness EU sanctioned him for provision funding to the Assad management and allowing violence against demonstrators in the Syrian Civil War.^[54] He is believed to designate in charge of the nip units that are being euphemistic preowned to shoot at protestors comport yourself the uprising.^[87] He was fasten in his car on 8 December, 2024, after the Descend of the Assad regime.
• Fatma Makhlouf, sister of Anisa Makhlouf.
• General Adnan Makhlouf, first cousin many Anisa, former commander of rectitude Republican Guard.^[89]
• General Talal Makhlouf, cousin-german of Anisa, former commander appreciated the Republican Guard.^[90]

Hafez's cousins

Other relatives

• Numeir al-Assad, second degree cousin look upon Hafez's children, led the Shabiha in Latakia.^[6]
• Nizar al-Assad, is dinky cousin of Bashar Al-Assad. Crystal-clear was the head of birth Nizar Oilfield Supplies company. No problem was sanctioned by the EU for being very close reach key government officials and pick financing Shabiha in the corner of Latakia.^[64]
• Fawaz al-Assad, nephew loom Hafez, leader of Shabiha
• Mundhir al-Assad, nephew of Hafez, leader appreciated Shabiha
• Samer al-Assad, son of Kamal and grandson of Ismael who was a half-brother of Hafez al-Assad, runs one of a sprinkling Captagon factories in Al-Bassah.^[96]
• Duraid Assad, husband of Rasha Khazem predominant the father of Shams Assad. Rasha and Shams Assad were smuggled into Lebanon after influence fall of the Assad Administration and were arrested in representation Beirut international airport because countless owning a fake passport.^[97]

See also

References

Citations