Syrian figure touts new anti-Sharaa ‘parallel army’ in UAE media

An Emirati news outlet has promoted claims of a new "parallel army" in Syria, presented as an alternative to the Syrian armed forces and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

According to the news website Erem, the force would be commanded by Anas al-Sheikh, also known as Abu Zuhair al-Shami. Al-Sheikh is a relatively obscure opposition activist who has built a following of around 10,000 on the platform X, where he frequently criticises Ahmed al-Sharaa and the recent sectarian unrest in Suweida.

He has also used the account to attack Turkey and Qatar, accusing the Syrian government of taking orders from them, before later deleting many of his posts.

The Emirati outlet described the proposed body as a "quasi-federal army" with a Sunni majority but including fighters "from all Syrian components". Al-Sheikh claimed the army would consist of more than 150,000 well-trained fighters, with its stated mission focused on preventing the partition of Syria.

In a special interview with Erem, al-Sheikh insisted that the role of his force would include intervening to halt any internal armed conflict initiated by any side. "Even if that side is government forces loyal to the current authorities," he said.

He further asserted that the new body would be "above the constitution" and would not take orders from the transitional authority currently in place. Instead, he argued, "monitoring the transitional authority is one of its main tasks, to prevent it from overstepping against Syrians".

According to al-Sheikh, "there is international, particularly American, approval that has led to the formation of this army transcending sects and loyalties".

Al-Sheikh told the outlet that the new force was the outcome of "long and ongoing meetings, internally and with external parties", and would begin its mission "as soon as possible". He stressed that the army would not interfere in political decisions "as long as the transitional authority abides by its mandate as a transitional body", adding that its mission would be "100 percent internal".

Among the army’s stated tasks, al-Sheikh said, would be protecting minorities and vulnerable groups, safeguarding freedom of belief, worship, and expression, and ensuring judicial independence.

He added that it would take responsibility for preventing demographic change across Syrian regions, curbing the dominance of any ideological faction, and applying international standards in detention facilities while ensuring detainees are brought to justice.

A source close to the Syrian government dismissed the claims in remarks to news outlet Arabi21, calling them "baseless and without any grounding in reality". The source said nearly all armed groups in Syria had been integrated under the Ministry of Defence.

The source also noted that the Ministry of Defence has signed mutual defence agreements with several countries, including Turkey, and "enjoys strong relations and trust with Arab and Western states, including the United States".

He referred to a declared agreement between Damascus and Washington on counterterrorism, and denied "categorically" that there were any Western efforts to support the creation of a new army in Syria.

The UAE has a history of backing militias and separatist groups in Arab countries that have seen uprisings against dictators, including Libya, Sudan, and Yemen.