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Notorious uncle of ousted Syrian despot Assad dubbed ‘Butcher of Hama’ dies in Dubai aged 88
THE notorious uncle of ousted Syrian despot Assad, dubbed the “Butcher of Hama” has died.
Rifaat al-Assad, the brother of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, died at the age of 88 in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, sources said.
A former army officer, Rifaat helped Assad seize power in a 1970 coup and establish his iron rule.
But he went on to unsuccessfully challenge for power and was sent into exile.
Rifaat continued to harbour presidential ambitions during years of exile spent mostly in France.
He returned to Syria in 2021, before fleeing again in 2024 following the ouster of his nephew, President Bashar al-Assad.
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