Adnan al-Malki
Encyclopedia
Adnan al-Malki (b. 1918, Damascus
- d. 22 April 1955, Damascus
) was a Syrian Army
officer and political figure in the mid-20th century. He served as the deputy-chief of staff of the army and was one of the most powerful figures in the army and in national politics until his assassination in 1955.
. He attempted to lead a coup against Adib Shishakli
in December 1952, but aborted it. It resulted in his arrest and discharge from the army. However, following Shishakli's downfall in February 1955, Malki was allowed back into the army and maintained his former rank. He rallied army support for neutralist politicians and opposition to Syria
's adherence to the Baghdad Pact.
and the Ba'ath, used Malki's assassination to advance their own popularity as upholders of Syrian independence from foreign domination.
Colonel Abdel Hamid Sarraj
led an official investigation into Malki's death. They identified the United States
(US) as a major supporter and financier of the SSNP and accused US officials of complicity in Malki's murder. In the trials which lasted from August to December 14, SSNP members were indicted for complicity in the crime and conspiring with the US to install a pro-Western government. The trials resulted in sentences for 26 SSNP members. The Malki affair is considered a key event in the larger political context in Syria; it further weakened the conservatives of the country and elevated the leftists' position.
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
- d. 22 April 1955, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
) was a Syrian Army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
officer and political figure in the mid-20th century. He served as the deputy-chief of staff of the army and was one of the most powerful figures in the army and in national politics until his assassination in 1955.
Political career
Malki was a member of the Baath PartyBaath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
. He attempted to lead a coup against Adib Shishakli
Adib Shishakli
Adib ibn Hasan Shishakli was a Syrian military leader and President of Syria .Born into a notable Syrian-Kurdish family of Hama, Shishakli served with the French Army during the mandate era...
in December 1952, but aborted it. It resulted in his arrest and discharge from the army. However, following Shishakli's downfall in February 1955, Malki was allowed back into the army and maintained his former rank. He rallied army support for neutralist politicians and opposition to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
's adherence to the Baghdad Pact.
Death and aftermath
While attending a soccer match, Malki was assassinated by a sergeant who belonged to the pro-Western Syrian Social National Party (SSNP). At the time, the SSNP had been trying to gain increased influence within the army, and its members were being purged from the army and the bureaucracy. The leftist parties of Syria, including the Syrian Communist PartySyrian Communist Party
The Syrian Communist Party was a political party in Syria, founded in 1944. It became a member of the National Progressive Front in 1972...
and the Ba'ath, used Malki's assassination to advance their own popularity as upholders of Syrian independence from foreign domination.
Colonel Abdel Hamid Sarraj
Abdel Hamid Sarraj
Abdel Hamid Sarraj was a Syrian Army officer and political figure in the mid-20th century. He was a very close aide to Gamal Abdel Nasser during the short-lived time of the United Arab Republic and served as its Minister of Interior and later Vice President...
led an official investigation into Malki's death. They identified the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(US) as a major supporter and financier of the SSNP and accused US officials of complicity in Malki's murder. In the trials which lasted from August to December 14, SSNP members were indicted for complicity in the crime and conspiring with the US to install a pro-Western government. The trials resulted in sentences for 26 SSNP members. The Malki affair is considered a key event in the larger political context in Syria; it further weakened the conservatives of the country and elevated the leftists' position.