Firas Al-Assad: The Rebel Within the Assad Family Speaks Out

Watan–After the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, Firas Al-Assad, the son of Rifaat Al-Assad, broke his silence, revealing that he has suffered from injustice and exclusion due to his family name. Despite being one of the first members of the Assad family to rebel against the regime and expose its crimes, he continues to be marginalized.

Firas, who grew up under one of the regime’s most brutal figures, refused to stand with his family in suppressing the Syrian people. Instead, he fully supported the revolution, making him a target of both the regime and his own relatives.

In a series of statements, Firas affirmed that he had never participated in crimes against Syrians. However, he continues to face societal rejection simply because of his last name, “Al-Assad.” He emphasized that he is a proud Syrian and that his only fault was being born into this family. These remarks sparked mixed reactions—some view him as the “honorable Assad,” while others remain skeptical of his intentions.

Firas has lived in Switzerland since he was thirteen years old, where he endured harsh treatment from his father, Rifaat Al-Assad, who detained him at home, had him tortured by his guards, and threatened to kill him. In one of his shocking accounts, Firas said he was kicked, electrocuted, and insulted by his father, who threatened to throw his body into a lake. This traumatic experience shaped his awareness and drove him to distance himself from the family’s legacy and join the opposition.

Over the years, Firas has continued to attack his father, Rifaat Al-Assad, whom he described as the “Butcher of Hama and Palmyra”, holding him responsible for the brutal massacres committed by the regime against Syrian civilians. He also engaged in open conflicts with his brother, Duraid Al-Assad, which escalated to public insults and threats. Firas considered Bashar Al-Assad’s regime to be a continuation of the same legacy of oppression and tyranny established by his father and grandfather.

Firas’s stance did not come without a price. He faced repeated death threats and financial offers to return to the regime’s fold, all of which he refused. Today, while trying to build a different future, his family name continues to haunt him, making him a living witness to the divisions within Syria’s ruling family and the curse that follows anyone who attempts to break free.