Anas Al-Sheghri (; born 1988) is a leading activist in the protests in the beginning of the Syrian Civil War.

Biography

Anas Al-Sheghri was born in the village of Al-Bayda near the city of

Baniyas Baniyas ( ') is a Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coastal city in Tartous Governorate, western Syria, located south of Latakia and north of Tartous. It is known for its citrus fruit orchards and its export of wood. North of the city is an B ...

. He was in his third year as a student at the School of Economics at Latakia University (then Tishreen University), when the Syrian Uprising against the government of

Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator Sources characterising Assad as a dictator: who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...

erupted in March 2011. According to his biography a
Free Syrian Translators
website, Anas played a leading role in stimulating the protests that called for democracy and for the toppling of al-Assad's government in the city of

, which is considered the second city to rebel in Syria after

Daraa Daraa (, Levantine Arabic: ) is a city in southwestern Syria, north of the border with Jordan. It is the capital of Daraa Governorate in the Hauran region. Located south of Damascus on the Damascus–Amman highway, it serves as a way sta ...

. Anas had also played an important role in the media coverage of the uprising. He was one of the first Syrian activists inside the country to speak to the Media using his real name. It is also important to mention that Baniyas was the first city to broadcast its demonstrations live to the news media. Anas was arrested on May 14, 2011 when the Syrian army and the security forces along with the

Shabiha ''Shabiha'' (North Levantine Arabic, Levantine Arabic: ', ; also romanized ''Shabeeha'' or ''Shabbiha''; ) is a colloquial and generally derogatory term for various loosely-organised Syrian militias loyal to the Ba'athist Syria, Ba'athist govern ...

stormed the city of Baniyas. Dunia TV (which is very close to the Syrian government) announced that the reason behind Anas' arrest is his alleged involvement in an attempt to establish an Islamic State and his appointment as the "Minister of Interior" in this alleged state. The fate of Anas and his whereabouts are not yet known. It is not affirmed whether he has died at some detention center that belongs to one of the various Intelligence agencies in Syria or he is still alive. What is certain, though, is that he became one of the icons of the

Syrian revolution The Syrian revolution, also known as the Syrian Revolution of Dignity, was a series of mass protests and civilian uprisings throughout Syria – with a subsequent violent reaction by the Ba'athist regime – lasting from 15 March 2011 to 8 De ...

against

Sources

Free Syrian Translators: Faces from the Syrian Revolution: Anas Al-Sheghri
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheghri, Anas Al- 1988 births Living people Latakia University alumni Syrian democracy activists Syrian dissidents Date of birth missing (living people)