military official

Maher al-Assad

ماهر الأسد

Also known as: Maher Assad • The Tiger of Damascus

Journeys

Maher al-Assad: The Fist Behind the Syrian Throne

Maher al-Assad's position as commander of Syria's most powerful military units — the 4th Armored Division and Republican Guard — made him the operational executor of the regime's military response to the 2011 uprising. Internationally sanctioned, accused of overseeing chemical weapons use, and responsible for some of the worst military atrocities of the civil war, Maher represents the merging of family rule with military command.

Biography

Maher al-Assad is Bashar al-Assad's younger brother and commander of the Republican Guard and 4th Armored Division — the regime's most elite military force. He is widely documented as directing the military crackdown from the first days of the 2011 uprising, personally ordering tanks into Daraa, Homs, and other cities. EU and US sanctions designate him as directly responsible for mass atrocities. He is believed to have overseen the use of chemical weapons. While Bashar presents the diplomatic face of the regime, Maher is described by defectors as the real enforcer.

Documentation Status

VerificationConfirmed

Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1967

Place:Damascus, Syria

Nationality:Syrian