Anisa Makhlouf
| Anisa Makhlouf | |
|---|---|
Makhlouf in 1970
|
|
| First Lady of Syria | |
| In office March 12, 1971 – June 10, 2000 |
|
| President | Hafez al-Assad |
| Preceded by | ? |
| Succeeded by | Najat Marqabi (interim) Asma al-Assad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1930 Latakia, Alawite State, Syria |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Political party | Ba'ath Party (Syrian faction) |
| Spouse(s) | Hafez al-Assad (1957–2000; his death) |
| Children | Bushra (b. 1960) Bassel (1962–1994) |
| Religion | Alawite |
Anisa Makhlouf, sometimes spelled Aniseh Makhlouf, (1930 – February 6, 2016) was the Syrian matriarch of the Al-Assad family, which has ruled the country since 1971. The wife of the late President Hafez al-Assad, Makhlouf held the position of First Lady of Syria from 1971 until 2000. Her five children include Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria since 2000.[1][2][3] The Economist has described Makhlouf as "a formidable figure" within the Al-Assad and the Syrian regime.[2] A highly influential member of the regime, she was one of the few people with whom Bashar al-Assad regularly consulted with during the Syrian Civil War.[2][4] Makhlouf is believed to have advocated for a heavy, military crackdown on Syrian protesters and rebels during the ongoing Civil War.[2]
Makhlouf was born in 1930 in Latakia, Syria, to the Makhloufs, an influential family from Latakia Governorate.[1][2][5] She married Hafez al-Assad, an officer of the Syrian Arab Air Force, in 1957.[1] They had five children: Bushra (b. 1960), Bassel al-Assad (1962–1994), Bashar al-Assad (b. 1965), Majd al-Assad (1966–2009), and Maher al-Assad. Her marriage to Hafez al-Assad elevated the status and wealth of the Makhlouf family.[4] Anisa Makhlouf's relatives were awarded lucrative contracts within the country's banking, oil and telecommunication sectors.[4] One of her nephews, Rami Makhlouf, is believed to be the wealthiest man in Syria, with a net worth of $5 billion USD, as of 2012.[4]
Following the death of Bassel al-Assad in 1994, Makhlouf favored Maher al-Assad, her youngest son and a Syrian general, as a possible successor for her husband.[3] Instead, Bashar al-Assad returned from London, joined the military, and succeeded his father as President of Syria in 2000.[3]
Makhlouf is believed to have advocated for a harsh crackdown on protesters and rebels during the Arab Spring and Syrian Civil War.[2] In 2012, Makhlouf, as well as other members of the Al-Assad family, were slapped with sanctions by the European Union amid the country's civil war and attacks on protesters by the al-Assad regime.[1] The EU sanctions included a travel ban and the freezing of her assets.[1] Prior to the travel ban, Makhlouf had reportedly made frequent trips to Germany for medical treatment.[1]
Anisa Makhlouf moved from Syria to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in January 2013 amid the escalation of the Syrian Civil War, where she lived with her daughter, Bushra al-Assad.[2][6]
Anisa Makhlouf, who was believed to be 86, died in Dubai on February 6, 2016.
References
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