Syrian astronaut Major General Mohammed Fares passed away on Friday after battling illness for several weeks at a hospital in the Turkish province of Gaziantep.
As reported by a correspondent for Syria TV, Major General Mohammed Fares breathed his last at the private Sanko hospital in southern Gaziantep.
Last March, a video surfaced featuring Fares inside the hospital, where he expressed his desire to join in the celebrations marking the thirteenth anniversary of the Syrian revolution.
In his message to the Syrian demonstrators, Fares said: “I wish you success. You, the youth, are our beacon of hope for the future. Do not lose heart; victory will be ours, God willing.”
Who is Syrian astronaut Major General Mohammed Fares?
Major General Mohammed Ahmed Fares, born in Aleppo in 1951, is a distinguished graduate of the Military Academy and served as a teacher there. He also served as a former Air Force officer and military adviser in Syria. Fares holds the distinction of being the first Syrian pilot and the second in the Arab world to journey into space, following Saudi astronaut Sultan bin Salman.
Dubbed the “Armstrong of Arabia” by The Guardian, Fares embarked on his historic spaceflight aboard the Soyuz TM-3 spacecraft on July 22, 1987, as part of the first crew to visit the Russian orbital space station, Mir.
Returning to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-2 on July 30, 1987, Fares logged a total of seven days, 23 hours, and five minutes in space. Following his return, he resumed his service in the Syrian Air Force and settled in Aleppo. The Soviet Union bestowed upon him the title of hero for his achievements as an astronaut, along with the prestigious Order of Lenin, the highest civilian honour awarded by the Soviet Union.
Major General Fares is revered as a national hero in Syria, adorned with numerous decorations and honours. Upon his return from space, he advocated for the establishment of a national institute for space sciences to facilitate space research for fellow Syrians. However, his proposal was rejected by then-President Hafez al-Assad, and subsequently, Fares faced restrictions on his movements akin to house arrest by the regime.
Following his involvement in the Syrian revolution and subsequent departure to Turkey, Fares actively engaged in various events and demonstrations supporting the revolution. He also contributed to conferences, meetings, and lectures at Turkish universities. Notably, he participated in the opening of a scientific exhibition for children in Gaziantep in 2019, alongside Fatima Shahin, the mayor of the state.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
