{"id":132887,"date":"2025-12-06T06:24:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T06:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=132887"},"modified":"2025-12-06T06:24:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T06:24:08","slug":"assad-era-figures-in-exile-funding-fighters-to-stir-unrest-in-syria-reuters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/132887\/","title":{"rendered":"Assad-era figures in exile funding fighters to stir unrest in Syria \u2013 Reuters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>A Reuters investigation revealed on Friday that senior loyalists of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, now living in exile, are funneling millions of dollars to tens of thousands of potential fighters in a bid to destabilize the country\u2019s new leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report says the exiled figures hope to reclaim influence lost after Assad\u2019s downfall in December 2024.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to 48 sources cited by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/investigations\/assads-exiled-spy-chief-billionaire-cousin-plot-syrian-uprisings-russia-2025-12-05\/\">Reuters<\/a>, former military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Kamal Hassan and ex-regime tycoon Rami Makhlouf are competing to assemble rival militias across coastal Syria and parts of Lebanon. Their efforts target the Alawite-majority regions that once formed the core of Assad\u2019s power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Internal documents reviewed by Reuters suggest the two men claim access to more than 60,000 fighters combined, though none has been mobilized and many are reportedly receiving payments from both camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assad\u2019s brother Maher, also in Moscow, continues to command loyalty from elements of the former Forth Armored Division but has not issued orders or contributed funds, sources close to the family told Reuters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One major objective for the exiled figures is seizing a network of 14 underground command rooms stocked with arms and equipment, originally built to support Assad\u2019s final defensive lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tartus Governor Ahmad al-Shami confirmed the network\u2019s existence but said it had been significantly weakened and poses little threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to the emerging plots, Syria\u2019s new government has deployed Khaled al-Ahmad\u2014a former Assad ally who defected years before the regime collapsed\u2014to persuade Alawite ex-soldiers and civilians to turn away from the exiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al-Ahmad, now the most influential Alawite official within the transitional leadership, said efforts to \u201cheal and uproot sectarian hatred\u201d remain essential to preventing renewed violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analysts interviewed by Reuters warn that the competing plans of Hassan and Makhlouf reflect an ongoing power struggle within the remnants of the Assad old guard. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, divisions among the plotters, mistrust within the Alawite community, financial strains, and a lack of external backing\u2014particularly from Russia\u2014have reduced the likelihood of a coordinated uprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The investigation comes amid heightened tensions in Syria\u2019s coastal regions, where recent protests by Alawite civilians have highlighted frustrations over security, detainees, and economic hardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government says it has arrested dozens linked to the exiles, describing their capabilities as limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>By Jwan Shekaki<\/strong><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 A Reuters investigation revealed on Friday that senior loyalists of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, now living in exile, are funneling millions of dollars to tens of thousands of potential fighters in a bid to destabilize the country\u2019s new leadership. The report says the exiled figures hope to reclaim influence [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":132888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39,7,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-military-developments","category-syria"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Assad-era figures in exile funding fighters to stir unrest in Syria \u2013 Reuters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 A Reuters investigation revealed on Friday that senior loyalists of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, now living in\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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