The family of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is believed to be united in their battle for survival,
according to analysts. Despite six months of popular protests in Syria, the family maintains control over the army, security services, and the economy, as highlighted in an AFP report. Writer and journalist Patrick Seale, who has extensively covered Syria and its former president Hafez al-Assad, acknowledged that while the family remains united, they face significant pressure. Seal stated, “It will be difficult for the opposition to overthrow the regime if the family remains united and supported by the security services.”
Bassam Jaara, a Syrian opposition journalist based in London, also noted the regime’s strength, stating that there have been no visible cracks in its structure or ranks so far. Unlike the armies in Tunisia and Egypt, which abandoned their respective leaders, the Syrian army has remained loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, speaking to AFP, expressed his view that the army should be seen as an instrument for carrying out the regime’s actions. However, he acknowledged that many individuals within the army experience fear, bitterness, and pain.
Khaddam further added that the fear factor currently prevents widespread defections within the regime, but he believes that interdependence among its members will eventually happen as international and Arab pressures increase. He suggested that the regime’s institutions will eventually crumble, and many will seek alternatives for their survival.
The army, led by members of the Assad family who belong to the minority Alawite sect, holds prominent positions. Asif Shawkat, the president’s brother-in-law, serves as the deputy chief of staff, while Maher al-Assad, the president’s brother, leads the elite fourth division of the Syrian army. Observers note that Maher played a significant role in suppressing the protest movement during its early stages. Khaddam, who was part of the Assad regime for 21 years before resigning in 2005, described Maher as an executor of his brother’s decisions, emphasizing his loyalty.
Khaddam, currently living in exile in Paris, asserted that Bashar al-Assad is the ultimate decision-maker within the family and the regime. While family members may offer ideas and suggestions, it is Bashar who ultimately decides, with others in the family having implementing roles. Khaddam claimed that Bashar often makes decisions based on proposals and may change course based on other suggestions. He also highlighted Bashar al-Assad’s tendencies towards vanity and being opinionated. Khaddam dismissed the notion of influential roles for female family members, including Bashar’s mother, Anissa, his sister, Bushra, and his wife, Asmaa Al-Atrash.
Jaara, who previously advised former Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud Al-Zoubi, concurred with this assessment, asserting that Bashar holds complete power. He argued that if Bashar were unable to control decisions, he would have resigned and relinquished power, but there are no indications of internal differences within the Assad family. Jaara referred to President Assad’s cousin, Rami Makhlouf, one of Syria’s wealthiest individuals, who stated from the outset, “We will either face together or fall together.”
Jaara stressed that Bashar al-Assad strategically utilized the loyal hawks of the old guard, leveraging their experience in suppressing the protest movement. He referenced the tragic events in the Syrian city of Hama in 1982, where around 20,000 people were killed when the regime crushed an Islamic uprising against President Hafez al-Assad.
