Assad's cousin Makhlouf claims new army to defend Syria's coastal region

Rami Makhlouf, the cousin of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, has announced on Sunday the formation of 15 military divisions in Syria's coastal region under the banner of the "Elite Forces", allegedly supported by popular committees numbering up to hundreds of thousands of people.

In a series of posts on his Facebook page, Makhlouf described Assad as a "fake Assad", writing: "Had it not been for that fake Assad pushing me and my loyal men away, headed by my soul brother, Commander al-Nimr, Syria would not have fallen."

None of Makhlouf's claims can be verified. 

Commander al-Nimr, meaning "the Tiger", is the nickname of Suhail al-Hasan, the leader of Assad's Special Forces units during the Syrian Civil War. After the fall of the Assad regime in December, he went into hiding. He is wanted for potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Makhlouf claimed he had supported Syria "militarily, economically, socially, and administratively" throughout the war, preventing the collapse of the army and correcting the "mistakes of those boys who drowned the country in injustice, corruption, and burdened the people with suffering, poverty, and drugs".

He accused Assad of ruling in name only and accused Syria's new government of "betrayal":

"Those who were immersed in the pleasures of worldly life and drowning in its wealth thought themselves rulers, while in reality they were ruled. After liberating the country and relieving the people, they betrayed us, isolated us, detained us, and sought to humiliate us," he wrote.

Makhlouf declared that he and Commander al-Nimr had worked "day and night for several weeks" to regroup their forces.

"We formed fifteen divisions, numbering nearly 150,000 elite men (special forces), alongside a reserve force of the same size. We also established popular committees reaching up to one million people ready for action," he wrote.

"We are a people who were wronged under the former regime and slaughtered under the new regime. It is our right to defend ourselves against anyone who comes to slaughter us," he added.

Appeal to Alawites

Makhlouf also addressed the Syrian government directly, stating:

"You have been unable to protect us from slaughter, killing, kidnapping, and enslavement — atrocities that continue to this very hour."

He proposed working together "to protect the country, serve the people, and restore security and stability, especially in the Syrian coastal region," and called for a "new era" based on security, stability, and cooperation.

The former Assad regime insider is referring to the sectarian slaughter that rocked Syria's coastal regions in March during a pro-Assad uprising. Rogue elements of the hastily formed Syrian security forces massacred hundreds of Alawite civilians, the religious minority to which Assad and Makhlouf belong.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa condemned the killings at the time, ordering an investigation into the violence to bring those responsible to justice. 

However, observers note that this kind of violence is being whipped up by Assad loyalists, such as Makhlouf, in order to scare Alawites into remaining separate from the new Syrian government.

"Let it be known to everyone that the flag of the Syrian coastal region is red, white, and black — and it is displayed on my page," he wrote in his post.

Appeal to Russia

The billionaire also called on Russia to extend its protection over the region, offering to place "all our economic, military, and popular resources under their supervision".

"We also ask our friends to engage with the Damascus government to find a framework for joint cooperation, leading to stability in the coastal region," he added.

Makhlouf was previously Syria’s most powerful businessman, controlling vast sectors of the economy through monopolies in telecoms, banking, and construction.

He became a symbol of regime corruption and was sanctioned by the US in 2008 for manipulating the judiciary and extracting wealth through coercion.

In 2020, a major rift with Assad led to the seizure of his assets over allegations of tax evasion and financial misconduct. Makhlouf is believed to remain in Syria, largely confined to the coastal region.

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