Lefteris Pitarakis/AP
Syria’s first astronaut Mohammad Faris subsequent to a portray of him in a spacesuit, Istanbul, 2016.
CNN —
Mohammad Faris, referred to as the “Armstrong of the Arab World” and Syria’s solely astronaut, died on Friday at 72 a.m. in his exile within the Turkish metropolis of Gaziantep on account of problems from a coronary heart assault he suffered a month in the past. News retailers reported that he handed away on the age of fifty. An in depth buddy spoke to CNN by cellphone.
In 1987, Faris, a pilot within the Syrian Air Force, spent eight days in house as a part of the Soviet Union’s Interkosmos spaceflight program. Faris flew to the Mir house station with a Soviet crew, turning into the primary and solely Syrian astronaut and the second Arab to achieve house.
Syrians gathered to observe the second former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of Bashar, spoke with Faris in a cellphone name broadcast stay on state tv whereas Faris was in house. , I requested what I might see. Faris replied, “I’m wanting on the nation that I like. I believe it is great and exquisite simply the way in which it’s.” These phrases, although seemingly innocuous, marked the start of his downfall.
In a 2023 documentary aired on the information community Al Jazeera, Faris revealed that he didn’t learn a pre-written speech throughout a stay cellphone name and as a substitute ad-libbed the speech, placing him within the highlight with others. This irritated the Syrian dictator, who was not used to this. Syrian.
Upon his return to Syria, Faris was celebrated as a nationwide hero by tens of 1000’s of Syrians. However, President Hafez al-Assad took a distinct view. Instead of the standard medal ceremony, through which the president locations the medal across the recipient’s neck, Faris was given a field of medals as a substitute.
In interviews late in his life, Faris urged the president to fund a nationwide house program to teach extra Syrians to observe in his footsteps and go into house, however Faris mentioned Assad He mentioned he refused as a result of he had no real interest in serving to his fellow countrymen. To develop your self.
Mr Faris mentioned the final assembly, which was attended by Saudi astronaut Prince Sultan bin Salman, “ended the curtain” on his relationship with President Hafez al-Assad. Assad reminded Faris of the second he shouted “Ya Allah” throughout his takeoff. The literal translation is “Oh God,” however in colloquial Arabic it’s just like “Let’s go,” which Assad claimed was offensive to Russians. Faris disputed this. “The Russians weren’t upset. It was regular for them.”
“When I made a decision to go away Syria, I dispersed my youngsters to completely different elements of Aleppo and gathered them collectively at sure factors. We set off in a automobile with somebody who helped us escape.” Faris informed Al Jazeera in 2023.
“There have been helicopters within the sky, however they withdrew as quickly because the Free Syrian Army entered the city with machine weapons,” Faris added.
A number of days later, Faris moved to Turkey to stay as a refugee. He grew to become a very talked-about determine amongst Istanbul’s Syrian refugee neighborhood. According to a report by Turkish state broadcaster TRT, Faris obtained Turkish citizenship in 2020.
Prior to his house journey, Faris stayed in Russia from 1985 to 1987 to endure coaching on the closed Star City within the Moscow area, and was later awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, however Russia’s help for the Syrian regime It was essential. In an interview with The Associated Press in March 2016, Faris mentioned he regretted Russia’s help for the dictatorship in Syria, saying, “We stand by dictator Bashar al-Assad and hope that he won’t be killed.” I deeply remorse the Russian intervention that started.” Syrian folks on a airplane. ”