Panama Papers Could Help Syrian Opposition Go After Assad's Wealth

Syria's democratic opposition is combing through this week's release of the Panama Papers to revitalize efforts to identify and freeze billions of dollars amassed by the family and friends of their country's dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

The papers, leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, have uncovered a web of shell companies and offshore accounts hiding wealth tied to prominent officials around the world. Among them are new disclosures about Rami and Hafez Makhlouf, the cousins of Assad who are estimated to have once controlled more than half of Syria's economy. The papers also document millions of dollars' worth of real-estate holdings belonging to Suleiman Marouf, an Assad ally based in London.