The Stance of Al-Ahram Newspaper on the Conflict Between the Syrian Government and the Muslim Brotherhood (1979–1982)

Abstract

    This study examines the stance of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram regarding the conflict between the Syrian government and the Muslim Brotherhood from 1979 to 1982—a highly tense period marked by escalating violence and internal unrest in Syria. The research explores how         Al-Ahram reflected the developments of this conflict in its journalistic coverage, particularly as it reached a climax in bloody confrontations in key Syrian cities such as Aleppo and Hama. During this time, Syrian authorities launched extensive military and security campaigns, including widespread arrests of Brotherhood members. The cycle of violence reignited across several cities, prompting the Syrian government to intensify its crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. It escalated security measures by deploying military forces to confront disturbances, particularly in Aleppo, which resulted in a significant number of civilian casualties. The paper focuses on  Al-Ahram's portrayal of these events, especially its reporting on actions taken by the Syrian government under President Hafez Al-Assad. Particular attention is given to the 1980 law introduced by Assad to the Syrian People's Assembly, which mandated the death penalty for anyone proven to be affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The study also investigates the newspaper’s coverage of violent incidents and its focus on the government's military and security interventions. Moreover, it analyzes Al-Ahram's reporting on the formation of the Islamic Front announced by the Brotherhood on October 10, 1980, which aimed to overthrow the Syrian regime and establish an Islamic state. The paper concludes by assessing the newspaper's comprehensive coverage of the 1982 Hama massacre, the peak of the conflict.