[2] He was a close adviser of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and served as Syria's point-man for its relationship with Iran and Lebanon's Shia militias.

[2] Mohammed Nasif Kheirbek was born 10 April 1937 in Homs but his family was from the Alawite village of al-Laqbah near Masyaf.

Mohammed was the head of the powerful Kheirbek clan who are represented throughout the Ba'ath Party and the Syrian security apparatuses.

Two years later, the US froze his assets for contributing to the government of Syria's problematic behavior, which included support of international terrorism, the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, and the undermining of efforts in Iraq.

[citation needed] In May 2011, Kheirbek was sanctioned by the European Union for the use of violence against protesters participating in the Syrian civil war.