Anisa Makhlouf

Anisa Makhlouf
Makhlouf in 1970
First Lady of Syria
In office March 12, 1971 – June 10, 2000
President	Hafez al-Assad
Preceded by	?
Succeeded by	Najat Marqabi (interim) Asma al-Assad
Personal details
Born	1930 Latakia, Alawite State, Syria
Died	February 6, 2016(2016-02-06) (aged 85–86) Damascus , Syria
Political party	Ba'ath Party (Syrian faction)
Spouse(s)	Hafez al-Assad (1957–2000; his death)
Children	Bushra (b. 1960) Bassel (1962–1994) Bashar (b. 1965) Majd (1966–2009) Maher (b. 1968)
Religion	Alawite

Bushra (b. 1960)
Bassel (1962–1994)
Bashar (b. 1965)
Majd (1966–2009)

Anisa Makhlouf, sometimes spelled Aniseh Makhlouf, (1930 – February 6, 2016) was the Syrian matriarch of the Al-Assad family, which has ruled the country since 1971. The wife of the late President Hafez al-Assad, Makhlouf held the position of First Lady of Syria from 1971 until 2000. Her five children include Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria since 2000.The Economist has described Makhlouf as "a formidable figure" within the Al-Assad and the Syrian regime. A highly influential member of the regime, she was one of the few people with whom Bashar al-Assad regularly consulted during the Syrian Civil War. Makhlouf is believed to have advocated for a heavy, military crackdown on Syrian protesters and rebels during the ongoing Civil War.

Makhlouf was born in 1930 in Latakia, Syria, to the Makhloufs, an influential family from Latakia Governorate. She married Hafez al-Assad, an officer of the Syrian Arab Air Force, in 1957. They had five children: Bushra (b. 1960), Bassel al-Assad (1962–1994), Bashar al-Assad (b. 1965), Majd al-Assad (1966–2009), and Maher al-Assad. Her marriage to Hafez al-Assad elevated the status and wealth of the Makhlouf family. Anisa Makhlouf's relatives were awarded lucrative contracts within the country's banking, oil and telecommunication sectors. One of her nephews, Rami Makhlouf, is believed to be the wealthiest man in Syria, with a net worth of $5 billion USD, as of 2012.