What did Hafez al-Assad do?

Hafez al-Assad (6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was a Syrian statesman and military officer who served as President of Syria from 1971 to 2000. Four years later, Assad initiated a third coup which ousted Jadid, and appointed himself as the undisputed leader of Syria.

What religion is president Assad?

In 1971 al-Assad declared himself president of Syria, a position the constitution at the time permitted only for Sunni Muslims. In 1973 a new constitution was adopted, replacing Islam as the state religion with a mandate that the president’s religion be Islam, and protests erupted.

How much is Bashar Al-Assad worth?

He is regarded as Syria’s wealthiest man – worth approximately 5 billion dollars. Col. Hafez Makhlouf (1971), is the deputy director of the General Security Directorate and intelligence chief of the Damascus branch.

Who is supporting Al-Assad?

The Syrian Ba’athist government is politically and militarily supported by Iran and Russia, and actively supported by the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Syrian-based Palestinian group PFLP-GC, and others.

What are Syria’s main exports?

Major exports include crude oil, refined products, raw cotton, clothing, fruits, and cereal grains.

Was there a coup in Syria in 1963?

The 1963 Syrian coup d’état, referred to by the Syrian government as the 8 March Revolution (Arabic: ثورة الثامن من آذار‎), was the successful seizure of power in Syria by the military committee of the Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party.

What do the Shia believe?

Shiites believe that only Allah, the God of the Islam faith, can select religious leaders, and that therefore, all successors must be direct descendants of Muhammad’s family. They maintain that Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, was the rightful heir to the leadership of the Islam religion after Muhammad’s death.

Is Iran Sunni or Shia?

According to some surveys, almost all of Iran’s 82,000,000 people are Muslim, with 90% of those being Shi’a, almost all of these from the Twelver sect. Another 10% are Sunni, most of them Kurds, Achomis, Turkmens, and Baluchs, living in the northwest, northeast, south, and southeast.

Where does Syria get its money?

Oil and natural gas Although Syria is not a major oil exporter by Middle Eastern standards, oil is a major pillar of the economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, oil sales for 2010 were projected to generate $3.2 billion for the Syrian government and account for 25.1% of the state’s revenue.

Do Syrians drink alcohol?

It can be traced back to ancient civilizations and continues today. Alcohol in Syria is not banned as it is in some Muslim countries. Nor is it reserved for the upper class elite or religious minorities. Syria, Lebanon and Iraq have long produced their own alcoholic beverages, from beer to wine to the anise-based arak.

Who is Syria’s biggest ally?

Syria and Iran are strategic allies. Syria is often called Iran’s “closest ally”, the Arab nationalism ideology of Syria’s ruling Baath party notwithstanding.

Why is Syria in war?

The war started in 2011, when Syrians enraged by corruption and emboldened by a wave of “Arab Spring” protests across the region took to the streets to demand democratic accountability for their leaders. The chaos of the war allowed ISIS, al Qaeda and other terror groups to seize more than 70% of Syria’s territory.

When did Hafez al-Assad become Prime Minister?

He was also Prime Minister from 1970 to 1971, as well as Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party and Secretary General of the National Command of the Ba’ath Party from 1970 to 2000.

How did Hafez al Assad de-radicalise the Ba’ath government?

Assad de-radicalised the Ba’ath government when he took power by giving more space to private property and by strengthening the country’s foreign relations with countries which his predecessor had deemed reactionary.

Who are the parents of Hafez al-Assad?

Hafez was born on 6 October 1930 in Qardaha to an Alawite family of the Kalbiyya tribe. His parents were Na’sa and Ali Sulayman. Hafez was Ali’s ninth son, and the fourth from his second marriage. Sulayman married twice, had eleven children and was known for his strength and shooting abilities; locals nicknamed him Wahhish (wild beast).

When did Hafez al-Assad get married to Anisa?

Upon graduation from flying school he won a best-aviator trophy, and shortly afterwards was assigned to the Mezze air base near Damascus. In his early 20s, he married Anisa Makhlouf in 1957, a distant relative of a powerful family. In 1955, the military split in a revolt against President Adib Shishakli.