Hafez al-Assad

Hafez al-Assad (Arabic: حافظ الأسد, romanized: Ḥāfiẓ al-Asad; 6 October 1930 – 10 June 2000) was president of Syria from 1971 until his death. He was also the general of Syrian Air Force from 1955 - 1972. He was born in Qardaha and died in Damascus. He had four sons and a daughter. His eldest son Bassel al-Assad died in 1994. In 2000, al-Assad died of a heart attack. He was succeeded as president by his second-oldest son Bashar al-Assad (born 1965), who still has that job.

His Excellency Hafez al-Assad
حافظ الأسد
Hafez in 1970
18th President of Syria
In office 12 March 1971 – 10 June 2000
Prime Minister	Himself Abdul Rahman Khleifawi Mahmoud al-Ayyubi Abdul Rahman Khleifawi Muhammad Ali al-Halabi Abdul Rauf al-Kasm Mahmoud Zuabi Muhammad Mustafa Mero
Vice President	Mahmoud al-Ayyubi Rifaat al-Assad Abdul Halim Khaddam
Preceded by	Ahmad al-Khatib
Succeeded by	Abdul Halim Khaddam (Acting)
Prime Minister of Syria
In office 21 November 1970 – 3 April 1971
President	Ahmad al-Khatib Himself
Preceded by	Nureddin al-Atassi
Succeeded by	Abdul Rahman Khleifawi
Regional Secretary of the Regional Command of the Syrian Regional Branch
In office 18 November 1970 – 10 June 2000
Deputy	Mohamad Jaber Bajbouj Zuhair Masharqa Sulayman Qaddah
Preceded by	Nureddin al-Atassi
Succeeded by	Bashar al-Assad
Personal details
Born	(1930-10-06)6 October 1930 Qardaha, Alawite State, French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon
Died	10 June 2000(2000-06-10) (aged 69) Damascus, Syria
Resting place	Qardaha, Syria
Political party	Ba'ath Party (Syrian faction) (since 1966)
Other political affiliations	Arab Ba'ath Party (1946–47) Ba'ath Party (1947–66)
Spouse(s)	Anisa Makhlouf (1957–2000)
Relations	Jamil, Rifaat (brothers)
Children	Bushra, Bassel, Bashar, Majd, Maher
Parents	Ali Sulayman al-Assad Na'sa al-Assad
Alma mater	Homs Military Academy
Signature