Bashar Al-Assad’s brother promoted to Major General for Daraa military campaign

New rare pictures have emerged of Maher Al-Assad, the famous younger brother of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Maher, nicknamed the chief, appeared in an army uniform, thus reaffirming his involvement in the Syrian Armed Forces.

According to a military source close to Al-Masdar News, Maher Al-Assad was promoted from Brigadier General to Major General earlier this week and reinstated in the command center of the 4th Mechanized Division.

Effectively, Maher Al-Assad will share command with Colonel Ghayath Galla in the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) coming offensive in Daraa city, already the target of massive bombing campaign from air and land.

Due to his promotion, Maher now outranks both Suheil Al-Hassan and Issam Zahreddine, arguably the most famous generals who are commanding two separate SAA armies against the Islamic State in Aleppo/Raqqa and Deir Ezzor respectively.

Maher Al-Assad has otherwise been rumoured dead since August, 2012 following a terror attack that summer which killed several high-ranking SAA generals.

Another picture proving Maher Al-Assad is still alive: