Attempted assassination of Hafez al-Assad
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On 26 June 1980, an assassination attempt on Hafez al-Assad, the Syrian president, was carried out by Muslim Brotherhood supporters who threw two grenades and fired machine gun bursts at him as he waited for the president of Mali[1] in the Guest Palace in Damascus.[2][3][4] Assad kicked one grenade out of range, while one of his bodyguards threw himself on the other grenade.[citation needed]
| Attempted assassination of Hafez al-Assad | |
|---|---|
| Part of Islamist uprising in Syria | |
  Location of the assassination attempt. | |
| Location | Guest Palace, Damascus, Syria |
| Date | 26 June 1980 (Local time) |
| Weapons | Hand grenades, machine gun |
| Deaths | 1 bodyguard (+2 attackers) |
| Perpetrators |  Muslim Brotherhood |
The attack came in the context of the Islamist uprising in Syria. The attack on the president prompted a series of deadly retaliation by the government troops, most notably the Tadmor prison massacre, carried out the next day. Ten days later Law No. 49 was passed, making membership of the Muslim Brotherhood a capital offense.[2]