Bashar al-Assad[a] (born 11 September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until his government was overthrown in 2024 after 13 years of civil war. As president, Assad was commander-in-chief of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces and secretary-general of the Central Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. He is the son of Hafez al-Assad, who ruled Syria from 1970 to 2000.