Assef Shawkat

Assef Shawkat
آصف شوكت
Deputy Minister of Defense
In office
September 2011 – 18 July 2012
PresidentBashar al-Assad
MinisterDawoud Rajiha
Deputy Chief of Staff
of the Syrian Armed Forces
In office
2009–2011
Head of Military Intelligence Directorate
In office
2005–2009
Preceded byHassan Khalil
Succeeded byAbdel-Fatah Qudsiyeh
Personal details
Born(1950-01-15)15 January 1950
Al-Madehleh, Tartus, Syria
Died18 July 2012(2012-07-18) (aged 62)
Damascus, Syria
Manner of deathAssassination
Political partySyrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party
Spouse
(m. 1995⁠–⁠2012)
RelationsHafez 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 service1970s–2012
Rank Lieutenant general
Conflicts

Assef Shawkat (Arabic: آصف شوكت, romanizedʾĀṣif Šawkat‎; 15 January 1950 – 18 July 2012) was a Syrian military officer who was the Deputy Minister of Defense of Syria from September 2011 until his death in July 2012.

He was the brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, having married his older sister Bushra.

He and three other top Syrian government officials were killed on 18 July 2012 in Damascus during a deadly bomb attack allegedly organized by the Free Syrian Army, a coalition of Syrian opposition rebel groups.[1] Shawkat was a key suspect in a terrorist attack in Beirut that killed Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 14 February 2005. US Department of Treasury had sanctioned Shawkat in 2006 for orchestrating the assassination, describing him as "a key architect" of Syrian occupation of Lebanon.[2][3]

  1. ^ Ian Black and Martin Chulov (18 July 2012). "Leading Syrian regime figures killed in Damascus bomb attack". The Guardian.
  2. ^ "Assad loses Assef Shawkat, Syria's shadowy enforcer". Al Arabiya News. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Comeback kid of Assad regime was a feared figure". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.