Bassár al-Aszad

Bassár al-Aszad is the President of Syria, having held power since July 2000 after succeeding his father, Hafez al-Asad. His presidency has been characterized by rampant civil unrest, particularly since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, which has led to a humanitarian crisis with millions displaced and significant international involvement. Asad's regime has been accused of numerous human rights violations and war crimes, yet he retains control over significant parts of the country with the support of allies like Russia and Iran.