Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria, having taken office in 2000 after succeeding his father, Hafez al-Assad. A trained ophthalmologist, he initially seemed to promise reforms, but his rule has been marked by authoritarianism. When civil unrest erupted in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring, his government responded with violent crackdowns, leading to a devastating civil war. The conflict has drawn in various international powers, causing widespread humanitarian crises. Assad's government has faced accusations of human rights abuses and use of chemical weapons, yet he retains control over significant parts of Syria with support from allies like Russia and Iran.