Assef Shawkat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Assef Shawkat
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آصِفُ شَوْكَتْ
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| Deputy Minister of Defense | |
| In office September 2011 – 18 July 2012 |
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| President | Bashar al-Assad |
| Minister | Dawoud Rajiha |
| Deputy Chief of Staff of the Syrian Armed Forces | |
| In office 2009–2011 |
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| Head of Military Intelligence Directorate | |
| In office 2005–2009 |
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| Preceded by | Hassan Khalil |
| Succeeded by | Abdel-Fatah Qudsiyeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 January 1950 Al-Madehleh, Tartus, First Syrian Republic |
| Died | 18 July 2012 (aged 62) Damascus, Syria |
| Political party | Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party |
| Spouse |
Bushra al-Assad
(m. 1995–2012) |
| Relations | Hafez al-Assad (father-in-law) Bassel (brother-in-law) Bashar (brother-in-law) Majd (brother-in-law) Maher (brother-in-law) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Syria |
| Years of service | 1970s–2012 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant general |
| Battles/wars |
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Assef Shawkat (born 15 January 1950 – died 18 July 2012) was an important military officer in Syria. He served as the Deputy Minister of Defense from September 2011 until his death. He was also the brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as he was married to Bashar's older sister, Bushra.
Assef Shawkat died on 18 July 2012 in Damascus during a bomb attack that also killed other high-ranking Syrian officials. He was also connected to an investigation into the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Assef Shawkat was born on 15 January 1950 in a village called Al-Madehleh in the Tartus region of Syria. His family was part of the Alawite community.
He studied law and history at Damascus University. In the early 1970s, he joined the Syrian Army. During this time, he got married and had five children.
Military Career
After joining the army, Shawkat steadily moved up in rank. By 1982, he was an officer in the Defense Companies. This was a special military group led by Rifaat al-Assad, who was the brother of then-President Hafez al-Assad.
The Defense Companies were involved in stopping an uprising in the city of Hama in 1982. Assef Shawkat remained loyal to President Hafez al-Assad during a period of political tension in 1984. For his loyalty, he was promoted to the rank of colonel.
Marriage to Bushra al-Assad
In the early 1980s, Assef Shawkat met Bushra al-Assad while she was studying at Damascus University. Bushra was the only daughter of President Hafez al-Assad.
Bushra's father and her younger brother, Bassel al-Assad, did not approve of her relationship with Shawkat. He was ten years older than her and had been married before, with five children. Bassel even had Shawkat briefly jailed in 1993, possibly to stop their relationship.
However, in January 1994, Bassel al-Assad died in a car accident. A year later, in 1995, Shawkat and Bushra al-Assad got married. Even though they married without her father's first blessing, President Hafez al-Assad eventually accepted Shawkat into the family. Shawkat was soon promoted to Major-General. Assef and Bushra had five children together.
After his marriage, Shawkat became close with Bushra's brother, Bashar. Bashar had returned from London after Bassel's death to prepare to become president. Bushra reportedly helped this relationship grow. However, Assef Shawkat is said to have had a difficult relationship with Bushra and Bashar's younger brother, Maher al-Assad.
Political Career
When Bashar al-Assad became President of Syria in June 2000, Assef Shawkat was seen as one of the most powerful people in Syria. In 2001, Shawkat was made Deputy Director of Military Intelligence. This was a very important part of Syria's security system.
His job included working with certain Palestinian groups. He also played a key role in Syria's influence in Lebanon. After the attacks on 11 September 2001, Shawkat was a main contact for intelligence agencies from the United States and Europe.
Role in Investigations
In February 2005, Shawkat was promoted to Director of Military Intelligence. Shortly before this, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed by a car bomb in Beirut. United Nations investigators looked into the incident and linked Shawkat to the plot.
He was also connected to the death of Imad Mughniyah in Damascus in 2008. In July 2009, Shawkat was removed from his role as head of military intelligence. He was then given the rank of general and named deputy chief of staff of the armed forces.
He held this position until September 2011. At that time, he was appointed Deputy Defense Minister.
Syrian Uprising
Assef Shawkat was a key figure in the government's response to the Syrian uprising that began in March 2011. He was part of a special military crisis team created by President al-Assad. This team included other important officials like the Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha.
In May 2012, a group called the Free Syrian Army claimed that they had poisoned members of this crisis unit, including Assef Shawkat. However, this report was later found to be incorrect.
Assassination
On 18 July 2012, Assef Shawkat was at a meeting of the Central Crisis Management Cell (CCMC) in Damascus. During this meeting, he was killed in a bomb attack. The attack also killed Dawoud Rajiha, the defense minister, and Hassan Turkmani, a former defense minister.
Syrian state television reported that a state funeral was held for him and the others on 20 July 2012. President Bashar al-Assad did not attend the ceremony. Shawkat was buried in the Tartus region. His wife, Bushra al-Assad, and his mother-in-law attended the funeral.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani sent his condolences to Bushra al-Assad after her husband's death.
See also
Images for kids
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Assef Shawkat
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Lieutenant General rank insignia
