Anisa Makhlouf
Anisa( or Aniseh) Makhlouf( 1930 or 1934 – 6 February 2016) was the Syrian matriarch of the Al- Assad family, which has ruled the country since 1971.
The wife of the late President Hafez al- Assad, Makhlouf held the position of First Lady of Syria from 1971 until 2000.
Her five children include Bashar al- Assad, the President of Syria since 2000.
" The Economist" described Anisa Makhlouf as" a formidable figure" within the al- Assad family and the Ba'athist government.
A highly influential member of the government, she was one of the few people with whom Bashar al- Assad regularly consulted during the Syrian Civil War.
She is believed to have advocated for a heavy, military crackdown on Syrian protesters and rebels during the ongoing Civil War.
Makhlouf was born around 1929 or 1930 in Latakia, Syria, to the Makhloufs, an influential family from Bustan al- Basha, Latakia Governorate.
She married Hafez al- Assad, an officer of the Syrian Arab Air Force, in 1957.
They had five children: Bushra( b. 1960), Bassel al- Assad( 1962–1994), Bashar al- Assad( b. 1965), Majd al- Assad( 1966 – 2009), and Maher al- Assad( b. 1967).
Her marriage to Hafez al- Assad elevated the status and wealth of the Makhlouf family.
Anisa Makhlouf's relatives were awarded lucrative contracts within the country's banking, oil and telecommunication sectors.
One nephew, Rami Makhlouf, is believed to be the wealthiest man in Syria, with a net worth of US$ 5 billion, as of 2012.
Following the death of Bassel al- Assad in 1994, Makhlouf favoured Maher al- Assad, her youngest son and a Syrian general, as a possible successor for her husband.
Instead, Bashar al- Assad returned from London, joined the military, and succeeded his father as President of Syria in 2000.
Makhlouf is believed to have advocated for a harsh crackdown on protesters and rebels during the Arab Spring and Syrian Civil War.
In 2012, Makhlouf, as well as other members of the Al- Assad family, were sanctioned by the European Union amid the country's civil war and attacks on protesters by the Syrian government.
The EU sanctions included a travel ban and the freezing of her assets.
Prior to the travel ban, she had reportedly made frequent trips to Germany for medical treatments for an undisclosed illness.
Ali Sulayman al-Assad
Ali Sulayman al- Assad( 1875 – 1963), born Ali Sulayman al- Wahhish), was a leader of the Alawites in Latakia.
He was the father of former Syrian President Hafez al- Assad, and grandfather of current Syrian President Bashar al- Assad.
Assef Shawkat
Assef Shawkat (15 January 1950 – 18 July 2012) was the deputy Minister of Defense of Syria from September 2011 until his death in July 2012.
He and three other top Syrian government officials were killed on 18 July 2012 in Damascus during a deadly bomb attack allegedly organized by the Free Syrian Army.
Bassel al-Assad
Bassel al- Assad(" Bāssel al Assad"; 23 March 1962 – 21 January 1994) was a Syrian engineer, colonel, and politician who was the eldest son of President of Syria Hafez al- Assad and the older brother of( later) President Bashar al- Assad.
It was widely expected that he would succeed his father as President of Syria until he died in a car accident in 1994.
Bushra al-Assad
Bushra al-Assad  (born 24 October 1960) is the first child and only daughter of Hafez al-Assad, who was the president of Syria from 1971 to 2000.
She is the sister of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
She is the widow of Assef Shawkat, the deputy chief of staff of the Syrian Armed Forces and former head of the Syrian Military Intelligence, who was killed by the rebels on 18 July 2012.
As a result of the Syrian Civil War, in March 2012 she was placed on a list of Syrian government figures who were subject to European Union economic sanctions and travel bans.
On 28 September 2012, it was reported and confirmed by Gulf states that Bushra al-Assad had fled Syria with her five children to seek refuge in the United Arab Emirates.
In January 2013, Bushra al-Assad was joined by her mother Anisa Makhlouf in Dubai after she too fled Syria, but she later returned.
Bushra al-Thamali
Bashir or Bushra al- Thamali was an Abbasid military commander and governor(" wali" or" amir") of Tarsus and the borderlands with the Byzantine Empire in Cilicia(" al- thughur al- Shamiya").
Jamil al-Assad
Jamil al- Assad( 1932 – 15 December 2004) was a younger brother of the late Syrian president Hafez al- Assad, and the uncle of present Syrian leader Bashar al- Assad.
He served in the Parliament of Syria, called the" majlis ash- sha'b" from 1971 until his death.
He was also commander of a minor militia.
Rifaat al-Assad
Rifaat Ali al- Assad( born 22 August 1937) is the younger brother of the former President of Syria, Hafez Assad and Jamil Assad, and the uncle of the incumbent President Bashar al- Assad.
He is alleged by some sources to be the commanding officer responsible for the Hama massacre of 1982.
Recently declassified material back his claims that his brother Hafez al- Assad was responsible, as do a number of commentators.
Despite accusations, Rifaat has always denied culpability.
He currently lives in France.
Dhu al-Himma Shalish
Dhu al- Himma Shalish is the first cousin of Syrian President Bashar al- Assad and head of presidential security.
He is part Bashar al- Assad's inner circle.
Where Was I
" Where Was I?" may refer to:

Question: Where was the place of death of Bushra Al-Assad's husband?
Answer: Damascus