Sami al-Hinnawi

Colonel Sami Hilmy al-Hinnawi (1898 - 1950) (Arabic: محمد سامي حلمي الحناوي) was a Syrian politician and military man.

Col. al-Hinnawi overthrew the military rule of Syrian President Husni al-Za'im in April 1949, with the aid of fellow members in the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, including Adib al-Shishakli. After the coup, he swiftly ordered al-Za'im and Prime Minister Muhsen al-Barazi to be brought to Mezze prison in Damascus, where both were executed.

Al-Hinnawi was then installed as leader of a military junta, but al-Shishakli remained the military strongman. In 1949, Shishakli carried out another coup d'êtat (the third that year), strengthening his power and re-introducing civilian rule. On October 31, 1950, he was murdered in exile in Beirut, Lebanon, by Hersho al-Barazi, a cousin of Muhsen al-Barazi.

References

* [http://www.syrianhistory.com/content/rare-picture-general-sami-al-hinnawi-chief-staff-syrian-army-who-toppled-and-killed-presiden A rare picture of General Sami al-Hinnawi, the Chief-of-Staff of the Syrian Army who toppled and killed President Husni al-Za’im] at syrianhistory.com