Many of Bashar al-Assad’s close relatives, including his younger brother Maher al-Assad, hold influential positions in the government and military, ensuring the family’s grip on power. Some members of the extended Assad family, like Rifaat al-Assad (Bashar’s uncle), have lived in exile due to disputes over power. Rifaat was accused of trying to seize power in the 1980s. The Assad family has faced personal losses, such as the death of Bassel al-Assad, Bashar’s elder brother, in a car accident in 1994. Bassel was initially groomed to succeed Hafez al-Assad.
