With an estimated over 3,000 people dead, there still does not seem to be any intent by Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator, to stand down, and he continues to attempt to keep hidden the levels of casualties in his country.

Bashar al-Assad is officially the president, elected to the post in two uncontested polls in 2000 and 2007, after taking over from his deceased father, Hafez al-Assad, who was overall leader of Syria since 1970.