Abdel Hakim Amer vs Riad al-Asaad

Abdel Hakim Amer was appointed commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Army by President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Amer was a close friend of Nasser and played a key role in the 1952 revolution and subsequent military policies.

As field marshal and commander-in-chief, Amer led Egypt's military during the Six-Day War against Israel. The war ended in a catastrophic defeat, with Israel capturing the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, and other territories.

After the devastating defeat in the Six-Day War, Amer resigned as commander-in-chief and vice president. He was later placed under house arrest and accused of plotting a coup against Nasser.

Amer died in September 1967, officially by suicide, while under house arrest. Many believe he was killed on Nasser's orders to eliminate a political rival. His death marked the end of a key figure in Nasser's inner circle.

On July 29, 2011, Riad al-Asaad, a former Syrian Air Force colonel, announced the formation of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in a video statement. This marked the creation of an armed opposition force against the government of Bashar al-Assad, drawing defectors from the Syrian military and initiating organized armed resistance in the Syrian Civil War.

In March 2013, a car bomb targeted Riad al-Asaad in Deir ez-Zor, Syria. The explosion killed several of his bodyguards and severely wounded al-Asaad, leaving him with permanent injuries. The attack was attributed to Islamist extremist groups within the Syrian opposition, highlighting internal divisions among anti-government forces.

Following the assassination attempt, Riad al-Asaad moved to Turkey for medical treatment and safety. While in exile, his influence over the Free Syrian Army diminished as more powerful Islamist factions and rival commanders took operational control of FSA units inside Syria, reducing his role to a symbolic figurehead.