17 Smiley Photos From the Syrian Dictator’s Official Instagram Account

President Bashar al-Assad — the controversial <del datetime="2013-07-31T15:05:50+00:00">dictator</del> leader of war-torn <a href="http://www.heavy.com/news/2013/05/syria-revolution-civil-war-facts-news/" target="_blank">Syria</a> — has hopped on the Instagram wagon. Under the account name "syrianpresidency," Assad and his dwindling government have posted pictures of the president and his wife (in fact, there are a lot of photos of the first lady) posing with sick people in hospitals, the elderly and of course school children in yet another attempt to shed positive propaganda on Assad's catastrophic regime. <a href="http://www.heavy.com/tag/syria/" target="_blank">Syria</a> and its people continue to be ravaged by a brutal civil war that pushed death tolls and refugee numbers to massive levels. In fact, Syria is at the epicenter of the world's most catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, its president is posting up all smiles and flattering pics on his Instagram. Check them out.

The first lady with a graduate

Again, Assad surrounded by his supporters

Oh... look at that. Another one.

First Lady giving a doll to a little girl.

First Lady at some kind of boy scouts camp

The first lady painting with a bunch of children

First Lady cleaning some kid's face.

First Lady cutting up an elderly woman's food.