Khaberni - A report published by the American magazine "The Atlantic" revealed unfamiliar aspects of the life of the former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in his last years in power, pointing out his constant preoccupation with electronic games and entertainment during the war period, while the country was going through its worst crises.
The report quoted sources close to the presidential palace in Damascus saying that Assad spent long hours on his mobile phone, occupied with playing many electronic games, particularly "Candy Crush", in addition to following entertainment content, while battles raged across large areas of Syria.
The report noted that this preoccupation with entertainment came along with his reliance on a small circle of confidants and the marginalization of a number of traditional leaders within the regime, which contributed to widening the gap between him and his political and security environment.
The magazine added that this image of a ruler engrossed in games and entertainment starkly contradicted the official narrative that portrayed him as a leader in control of the situation, considering that this contradiction was one of the aspects of weakness that preceded the rapid collapse of the regime in late 2024.
The report concluded by noting that these private details of Assad's life re-raise questions about the nature of his management of the country during the war years, and to what extent his obsession with games and his personal lifestyle influenced pivotal decisions that changed the course of Syria.
