Rifaat al-Assad

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rifaat-al-assad

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Rifaat al-Assad born?August 22, 1937
2. Where was Rifaat al-Assad born?Syria
3. Who is Rifaat al‑Assad?Rifaat al‑Assad is a Syrian man who was a high‑ranking military officer. He is the younger brother of former president Hafez al‑Assad and the uncle of current president Bashar al‑Assad.
4. Why did Rifaat leave Syria in 1984?He tried to overthrow his brother Hafez in a coup attempt. After the attempt failed, he went into exile and stayed away from Syria for 36 years.

Authoritarian Rule: A system of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.
Diverted State Funds: Money belonging to a country's government that has been illegally taken or used for personal gain.
International Criminal Justice: The system of laws and courts that deal with crimes committed across national borders, including war crimes.