Shafiq al-Fayadh
Native name	شفيق الفياض
Born	1937 (1937) Ayb al-Arus, Jableh, First Syrian Republic
Died	8 October 2015(2015-10-08) (aged 77–78)
Allegiance	Syria
Service/branch	Syrian Arab Army
Years of service	1959 – June 2005
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	3rd Division Damascus Army Garrison
Battles/wars	Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Lebanese Civil War Islamic Uprising in Syria Siege of Aleppo Hama Massacre
Relations	Hafez al-Assad (cousin)

Shafiq al-Fayadh (1937 – 8 October 2015) (Arabic: شفيق الفياض) was a Syrian military officer, the former commander of the Syrian Army 3rd Division and a close adviser to President Hafez al-Assad. He was also one of the members of his close circle.

Early life

Fayadh was born in the village of Ayb al-Arus, near Jableh, to an Alawite family of the prominent Kalbiyya clan. Other members of the clan include Fayadh's cousin, Hafez al-Assad.^[1][2]

His son ‘Ala is married to Lamia, the daughter of Rifaat al-Assad.^[2] Another of his sons married into a Christian family, whilst another married into a Shiite family.^[3]

Career

The 3rd Division under Fayadh played an extremely important role for the government of Hafez al-Assad. The unit, under Fayadh, was one of the first to go into Lebanon in 1976. Fayadh played an important role during the Islamic uprising in Syria, occupying Aleppo with the 3rd Division in 1980, and taking part in the Hama massacre.^[4] The Division was deployed near Damascus, in order to protect the government against potential coups.^[4]

Fayadh was retired in June 2005 as part of a restructuring program of the Syrian Army designed to pave the way for the succession of the Presidency to Bashar al-Assad from Hafez al-Assad.^{[1][5][when?]}

Death

Fayadh died on 8 October 2015, suffering from illness.^[6]