Adnan al-Malki

Adnan al-Malki (عدنان المالكي) (b. 1918, Damascus - d. 22 April 1955, Damascus) was a Syrian Army officer and political figure in the mid-20th century. He served as the deputy-chief of staff of the army and was one of the most powerful figures in the army and in national politics until his assassination in 1955.

Political career
Malki was a member of the Baath Party. He attempted to lead a coup against Adib Shishakli in December 1952, but aborted it. It resulted in his arrest and discharge from the army. However, following Shishakli's downfall in February 1955, Malki was allowed back into the army and maintained his former rank. He rallied army support for neutralist politicians and opposition to Syria's adherence to the Baghdad Pact.

Death and aftermath
While attending a soccer match, Malki was assassinated by a sergeant who belonged to the pro-Western Syrian Social National Party (SSNP). At the time, the SSNP had been trying to gain increased influence within the army, and its members were being purged from the army and the bureaucracy. The leftist parties of Syria, including the Syrian Communist Party and the Ba'ath, used Malki's assassination to advance their own popularity as upholders of Syrian independence from foreign domination.

Colonel Abdel Hamid Sarraj led an official investigation into Malki's death. They identified the United States (US) as a major supporter and financier of the SSNP and accused US officials of complicity in Malki's murder. In the trials which lasted from August to December 14, SSNP members were indicted for complicity in the crime and conspiring with the US to install a pro-Western government. The trials resulted in sentences for 26 SSNP members. The Malki affair is considered a key event in the larger political context in Syria; it further weakened the conservatives of the country and elevated the leftists' position.