Hafez Makhlouf Colonel, head of the Damascus branch of the General Directorate of Security Date of Birth: 02.04.1971 Country: Syria

1. Biography of Hafiz Makhlouf
2. Survival in a Fatal Car Accident
3. Imposition of Sanctions
4. Role and Influence
5. Death in an Attack

Biography of Hafiz Makhlouf

Hafiz Makhlouf, the cousin of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, was born on April 2, 1971, in Damascus. He was the maternal cousin of President al-Assad and the brother of Rami Makhlouf, a prominent businessman in Syria.

Survival in a Fatal Car Accident

Hafiz Makhlouf is also known for surviving a car accident in 1994, which proved fatal for Basil al-Assad, who was being groomed as a successor to their father, Hafez al-Assad. As a result of Basil's death, Bashar al-Assad, the younger brother, became the president of Syria.

Imposition of Sanctions

In 2007, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Makhlouf for "undermining the sovereignty of Lebanon and its democratic processes and institutions." The sanctions included freezing any assets that may be located in the United States and prohibiting US citizens from engaging in transactions with him.

In May 2011, the EU also imposed sanctions on Makhlouf, identifying him as the head of the investigative apparatus of the General Intelligence Directorate and stating that he was "close to Maher al-Assad," who "finances a regime that allows violence against demonstrators."

The US Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions against Makhlouf in the same month, stating that he "played a leading role in suppressing protest actions in Syria and actively participated in the operations of the Syrian regime in Deraa, where protesters were killed."

Role and Influence

Opposition activists claim that Makhlouf had greater influence over the president than Ali Mamlouk, the head of the General Security Directorate. He was part of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.

Death in an Attack

Hafiz Makhlouf died on July 18, 2012, during an attack on the building of the Syrian National Security Agency in northwest Damascus. The attack also claimed the lives of Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha, his deputy Asef Shawkat, and former Defense Minister Hasan Turkmani. Two days later, the head of intelligence, Hisham Bekhtyar, who was injured in the same attack, passed away in the hospital.