© Press TV
Anisa Ahmed Makhlouf, the late mother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Anisa Ahmed Makhlouf, the late mother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Makhlouf, the wife of late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, died after years of illness at a hospital in the capital Damascus on Saturday.
She was born in the western Syrian city of Latakia and married the former president in 1957.
The country's presidential office issued a statement confirming her death and thanking people for their condolences.
Bashar was Makhlouf's third child out of the five, including Bushra, Basil, Majed and Maher.
Anisa Makhlouf (C), the wife of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad (top left) are seen in this family photo in the early 1970s along with their children. (Left to right: Bashar, Maher, Majed, Bushra, and Bassel)
Comment: Our condolences to the al-Assad family and to Syria.