Was Bassel al-Assad murdered?

Was Bashar al-Assad's older brother assassinated?

Even a glance at his biography reveals:

He was trained as a civil engineer, and held a PhD in military sciences.

Trained in parachute-jumping, Assad was commissioned in the Special Forces and later switched to the armored corps after training in the Soviet Military Academies. He rapidly became a major and then commander of a brigade in the Republican Guard.

He first emerged on the national scene in 1987, when he won several equestrian medals at a regional tournament. The Baath Party press in Syria long ago eulogised Bassel Assad as "the golden knight" due to his prowess in horsemanship.

Bassel is said to have spoken French and Russian fluently.


From the photos, a good looking and charismatic man, too. With strong personal ties in the region. Head of his old man's security. With commanding presence.


These rebels would not have even dreamed to confront the Syrian army were he still alive.