Rifaat al-Assad, Once Power Challenger to Syria's Assad Family, Dies at 88

Rifaat al-Assad, the former Syrian army officer and brother of the late President Hafez al-Assad, died at the age of 88, sources confirmed on Tuesday. Rifaat passed away in the United Arab Emirates, marking the end of a controversial and tumultuous life deeply entwined with Syria’s modern political history.

Known by critics as the “butcher of Hama” for his role in crushing the 1982 Islamist uprising in the city, Rifaat was a key figure in his brother Hafez’s rise to power during the 1970 coup. Despite his early influence, he later unsuccessfully sought the presidency and spent decades in exile, mostly in France.

Following Hafez al-Assad’s death in 2000, Rifaat opposed the transfer of power to his nephew, Bashar al-Assad, a stance that further complicated his political legacy. His ambitions for the presidency remained a point of contention within the Assad family and Syrian politics at large.

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Rifaat returned to Syria in 2021 after years abroad, but he fled again in 2024 following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, reflecting ongoing instability within the ruling family. His movements during these years were closely watched by analysts and political observers.

Throughout his life, Rifaat’s influence and actions were polarising, combining military prowess with political ambition. His death closes a chapter in Syria’s complex history of internal power struggles and authoritarian rule. Despite decades in exile, Rifaat remained a symbolic figure in Syrian politics, representing both the legacy of his brother’s regime and the persistent factionalism within the Assad family.

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