After Hafez Al-Assad
The succession of Bashar al-Assad, Hafez's son, seems to have been secured by Tlass (for a while, it was rumoured that Tlass himself had assumed the Presidency, but this was not true), and his influence increased sharply as he came to head the "old guard" within the regime, sometimes at odds with the inexperienced young President. Whether true or not, Tlass and his supporters were viewed by many as opponents of the discreet liberalization pursued by the younger al-Assad, and to maintain Syria's hardline foreign policy stances; but also as fighting for established privileges, having been heavily involved in government corruption. As Bashar al-Assad struggled to establish control over the powerful state apparatus and military, Tlass resigned or was forced to resign from all positions in both the Ba'ath central committee and the government in 2002. In May 2002, Tlass was replaced by Hasan Turkmani as Defense Minister. It is also argued that Shawkat pushed for the removal of Mustafa Tlass. In February 2002 in the Jordanian daily Al Dustour stated that Tlass submitted his letter of resignation to Bashar al-Assad, and was set to step down in July 2002. Tlass also quit the regional command in 2005.
As of 14 November 2011, Mustafa Tlass was serving as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff (Logistics and supplies), and was subject to sanctions by the European Union due to his involvement in the use of violence against protesters across Syria in the Syrian civil war.
Mustafa Tlass and his son, Firas, both left Syria after the revolt against Assad began in 2011. Mustafa Tlass left for France for what he described as medical treatment. Opposition sources say he is still there, however, it is not certain. Firas, a business tycoon, left Syria for Egypt in 2011, too. It is also reported that he is in Dubai.
In July 2012, Manaf Tlass, a Syrian officer and another son of Mustafa, defected from the Assad regime and fled to Turkey.
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