political figure

Mouaz al-Khatib

معاذ الخطيب

Also known as: Moaz al-Khatib • Ahmad Mouaz al-Khatib al-Hasani

Journeys

Mouaz al-Khatib: The Imam Who Led the Coalition

Mouaz al-Khatib's eight-month presidency of the Syrian National Coalition was defined by genuine moral authority, international recognition, and ultimately disillusionment with the world's failure to act.

Biography

Mouaz al-Khatib is a Syrian religious scholar and opposition leader who served as the founding president of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces from November 2012 to April 2013. Born in 1960 in Damascus into a prominent Sunni religious family, he was the imam of the Umayyad Mosque — Syria's most prestigious religious post. Arrested multiple times for protest activities, he fled Syria in June 2012 and was elected to lead the National Coalition the day it was formed in Doha on November 11, 2012. A moderate who championed pluralism, women's rights, and minority protection, he resigned April 22, 2013, citing international failures to support Syrians.

Documentation Status

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Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1960

Place:Damascus, Syria

Nationality:Syrian