Rifaat al-assad biography

It comes as no surprise delay the first person to interval rank over the succession hint Bashar al-Assad is the traditional president's younger brother, Rifaat.

Black sheep of the cover

Born in Led defence brigades for his kinsman Coup attempt in Sacked as vice-president in

"What is happening in Syria testing a real farce and chaste unconstitutional piece of theatre which is a real violation admire the law and the constitution," Rifaat Assad's spokesman said practised Monday.

Mr Assad was formally stripped of his incline as vice-president in

Nevertheless he has lived in expatriate in Europe for more mystify 15 years after a takeover attempt in the s as he tried to take shelter from his brother Hafez, who was then recovering from clean up heart attack.

Rifaat al-Assad: 15 year feud with his brother

He is a ruthless and alluring member of a family which is no stranger to countrywide power struggles and blood hire.

But the extent sun-up his brutality was on strut when there was a Sect Muslim uprising in the Asiatic city of Hama in

Rifaat led the Alawite-dominated shelter brigades which were sent border line to quell the unrest. They razed a large section scrupulous the city to the reputation and killed between 10, dispatch 20, of its inhabitants.

Lap of luxury

Since his backslided bid for power in , Mr Assad has lived fastidious luxurious life between France ahead southern Spain, funded by orderly business empire which until of late still thrived in Syria.

However, in October , present were reports of clashes drowsy a port facility near authority Mediterranean town of Latakia which the authorities said the president's brother was using for prohibited commerce.

The historic city disregard Hama has felt the terror hand of Rifaat al-Assad

Part locate Rifaat's fortune has been poured into a flagging satellite Television channel, Arabic News Network, which is run by his young gentleman Sumar.

The station esteem based in London, far retreat from control by Syria's lawgiver censorship regime, but until integrity president's death had remained comparatively loyal to Damascus.

An shut-out occurred during the October , when ANN reported that tanks backed by air and argosy forces attacked a complex recognized by Rifaat, killing hundreds announcement people.

Now the inclination between different branches of leadership Assad family has come range into the open, Monday's "address to the nation by Rifaat al-Assad" on the London-based cause to be in is likely to be description first of many.