Squiz Shortcuts - Who is Bashar al-Assad?

Your Shortcut to Syria’s ousted President Bashar al-Assad

Ending Bashar al-Assad’s rule in Syria was almost unthinkable just a couple of weeks ago, but rebel fighters have made a big push against his regime, taking Aleppo, then the capital of Damascus, and bringing an end to the Assad family’s 54-year dictatorship. To help you get your bearings, in this Shortcut we’ll get you across:

• Who Bashar al-Assad is

• How he ruled Syria

• And what’s happened in the past week.

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Squiz the Shortcut

Didn’t I just read a Squiz Shortcut on Syria?
Yes, but that was a gallop through the history of the civil war. There have been some significant developments since then to get across…

What’s happened?
Rebel fighters have taken control of Damascus, the Syrian capital. Before they took the city on Sunday, President Bashar al-Assad and his family flew out of the port city of Latakia on a private plane to Russia.

Who’s in control now?
An alliance of rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - reports say they’re an Islamic group with links to terror organisation al-Qaeda's former Syria branch, however they say they’ve cut those ties.

Got it… What comes next?
The world is watching… Regardless, the rebel victory is a major blow to Assad’s allies Russia and Iran who helped him retain power during the civil war. The hope is that things stay as calm as possible with the rebels at the helm, but they’re made up of groups that haven’t always seen eye-to-eye. The one thing that’s held them together until now has been their mission to depose Assad who was a notorious dictator… 

Fill me in…
He came to power in 2000 after the death of his father Hafez, who ruled the country for 29 years with an iron fist… If that sounds like a long time, it was. All up, the Assad family has ruled in Syria for more than 50 years. There were hopes that Assad junior could be a different style of leader to his father, given his background.

How does his background play into things?
He wasn’t meant to be the one to take over the family business of running Syria, but in 1994, his elder brother Bassel al-Assad died in a car accident. Up until then, Bashar was pursuing a career as an ophthalmologist in the UK, training as a surgeon. After his brother's death, he was recalled to Syria as the new heir apparent. Six years later, when he was 34yo, his father died. 

That’s young to take over ruling a nation…
Yep… The Constitution of Syria had to be amended to lower the minimum age requirement for the presidency from 40. So, people hoped his youth and his experience as a doctor living in the UK would mean he’d be a more tolerant leader to his father, but those hopes were short-lived.

What sort of leader was he?
He’ll forever be remembered as the man who violently repressed peaceful protests against his regime in 2011, which led to a civil war. More than half a million people were killed, and six million others became refugees. 

But he held onto power?
Yep, he crushed the rebels, and his regime survived - but only with the help of Russia, Iran and the Lebanese-based terror group Hezbollah. Russia used its formidable air power while Iran sent military advisors to Syria and Hezbollah deployed its well-trained fighters. And Assad’s response was ruthless. Over the years, the Assads did whatever it took to retain power, including executions, torture, and using chemical weapons and ‘barrel bombs’ against their own people… 

What are barrel bombs?
Bashar instructed the Syrian air force to drop these improvised weapons on residential neighbourhoods in parts of the country controlled by the rebels. They were essentially oil drums filled with explosives and metal fragments that were dropped without guidance from helicopters, typically hitting the ground with huge explosions and the widespread diffusion of deadly shrapnel. He also imprisoned thousands of people - anyone who dared oppose him - over the last 15 years. They’re likely to be released over the coming days…

What has the reaction been from Syrians?
Many people have been photographed celebrating in the streets while statues of Assad have been vandalised and beheaded. People have also been allowed to walk freely through Assad’s palaces and pose for pictures. 

Did Assad’s allies help fight the rebels this time?
The experts say Russia’s war against Ukraine and Iran and Hezbollah’s conflict with Israel over the last year has distracted Assad’s allies, and that’s why the rebels have been able to seize control of Syria at this particular moment…

Where is Assad now?
Reports say he and his family have flown to Moscow, where they’ve been offered political asylum.

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