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Bashar Al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad
بشار الأسد
Bashar al-Assad in Russia (2015-10-21) 08.jpg
Assad in Moscow in 2015
19th President of Syria
Assumed office
17 July 2000
Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Mero
Muhammad Naji al-Otari
Adel Safar
Riyad Farid Hijab
Omar Ibrahim Ghalawanji
Wael Nader al-Halqi
Imad Khamis
Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam
Zuhair Masharqa
Farouk al-Sharaa
Najah al-Attar
Preceded by Abdul Halim Khaddam (Acting)
Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Assumed office
24 June 2000
Deputy Sulayman Qaddah
Mohammed Saeed Bekheitan
Hilal Hilal
Leader Abdullah al-Ahmar
Preceded by Hafez al-Assad
Personal details
Born Bashar Hafez al-Assad
(1965-09-11) 11 September 1965 (age 51)
Damascus, Syria
Political party Syrian Ba'ath Party
Other political
affiliations
National Progressive Front
Spouse(s) Asma al-Assad (m. 2000)
Children 3
Alma mater Damascus University
Religion Islam (Alawite)
Military service
Allegiance  Syria
Service/branch Syrian Armed Forces
Years of service 1988–present
Rank Syria-Army-Mushir.svg Marshal
Unit Republican Guard (Before 2000)
Commands Syrian Armed Forces
Battles/wars Syrian Civil War

Bashar Hafez al-Assad (Arabic: بشار حافظ الأسد‎‎ Baššār Ḥāfiẓ al-ʾAsad, Levantine pronunciation: [baʃˈʃaːr ˈħaːfezˤ elˈʔasad]; About this sound English pronunciation ; born 11 September 1965) is the 19th and current President of Syria, holding the office since 17 July 2000. He is also commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces, General Secretary of the ruling Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and Regional Secretary of the party's branch in Syria. He is a son of Hafez al-Assad, who was President of Syria from 1971 to 2000.

Born and raised in Damascus, Assad graduated from the medical school of Damascus University in 1988, and started to work as a doctor in the Syrian Army. Four years later, he attended postgraduate studies at the Western Eye Hospital in London, specialising in ophthalmology. In 1994, after his elder brother Bassel died in a car crash, Bashar was recalled to Syria to take over Bassel's role as heir apparent. He entered the military academy, taking charge of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon in 1998. On 10 July 2000, Assad was elected as President, succeeding his father, who died in office a month prior. In the 2000 and subsequent 2007 election, he received 99.7% and 97.6% support, respectively, in referendums on his leadership.


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