Asma al-Assad is from a Sunni family whereas Bashar al-Assad belongs to the Shiite Alawite movement, which -- along with her promotion of women's rights -- helped burnish her reputation as a transformative and modernising first lady.
Asma al-Assad is from a Sunni family whereas Bashar al-Assad belongs to the Shiite Alawite movement, which -- along with her promotion of women's rights -- helped burnish her reputation as a transformative and modernising first lady.
Feted by the Western media for her looks and style, Asma became the toast of high society, hosting celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie while enjoying a lavish reception overseas.
Fashion bible Vogue called her the "Desert Rose".
But her reputation crumbled when she stood by her husband's side as he cracked down on anti-government protests that erupted in 2011, turning into full-scale civil war in June 2012.
She was heavily criticised for remaining silent during the violence and was dubbed "Marie Antoinette" and "predator in chief".
Detractors also accused her of enriching herself through the Syria Trust for Development, a charity she founded that centralises most of the funding coming from abroad.
She and her husband also took charge of many parts of the Syrian economy using frontmen, according to news site Syria Report.
In 2020 the United States imposed sanctions on Asma al-Assad, her parents and two brothers, with then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo describing her as "one of Syria's most notorious war profiteers".
