Assad, Bashar al-
[key], 1965–, Syrian political leader, son of Hafez al-Assad. A medical doctor, he left Syria (1992) for an ophthamology residency in
London when his elder brother, Basil, his father's designated heir, was killed (1994) in an
automobile accident. Assad returned to Syria and was groomed as his father's successor,
attending the Homs military academy and attaining (1999) the rank of colonel. Upon his
father's death (2000), he was named head of the ruling Ba'ath party and was nominated as
president; he was confirmed in the office by referendum (2000, 2005). Assad attempted to
modernize Syria and its army, making some moves toward improving the economy, but he also
maintained a tight hold on power and sought to maintain Syria's domination over Lebanon. The
violent suppression of protests against his regime in 2011 led by 2012 to a brutal, years-long
civil war in which the Syrian government was accused of using poison gas against its own
people. In 2014 Assad was reelected in balloting that occurred during the civil war; he was
reported to have won 89% of the vote, with a 73% turnout. Russia came to Assad's aid in the
civil war in September 2015, effectivelly turning the tide in his favor. Assad has maintained
power despite the ongoing fighting in the country and the collapse of its economy. In March
2021, it was announced that he and his wife had contracted mild cases of COVID-19.
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