by Our Correspondent in Doha
Major General Maher al-Assad, the younger brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and former commander of the 4th Armored Division, has issued a stark warning about Syria’s current plight, vowing to liberate the country from the al-Julani regime with the help of Iraqi Shiite military groups.
Speaking candidly, Maher condemned the ongoing crisis, stating, “Terrorist groups cannot conquer a country. It is a black spot in the history of our nation when soldiers are shot right on the streets.” He also criticized the deteriorating state of Syria’s military forces, highlighting how Israel has advanced significantly under his brother’s rule: “I wonder how many kilometers Israel occupied during my brother’s rule?! Now, during their ‘rule,’ the Israeli army has almost reached Damascus.”
Maher al-Assad’s comments highlight the deep dissatisfaction within Syria’s new leadership, with the general lamenting the destruction of the Syrian army. He referred to the once formidable force as now reduced to “ruins and destroyed military equipment,” laying the blame squarely on the failure of the Assad regime’s leadership.
Meanwhile, there has been a resurgence of former Syrian army officers and soldiers, including members of the SAA 25th Special Mission Forces Division (Tiger Forces), who have gathered in the mountainous areas near the Lebanese border. These former fighters have vowed to continue resisting, despite what they call the “betrayal” of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) high command. Rejecting the current leadership’s failure to defend Syria’s sovereignty, they are preparing to form resistance groups against the incoming HTS/SNA government.
A commander in a recent video stated that they are prepared to sacrifice everything for their cause, even indicating they have suicide bombers among their ranks. The commander went as far as declaring that his pistol’s last bullet would be for his own head, should he be captured. This dramatic declaration of resolve underscores the deepening fracture within the country’s military factions.
Additionally, these former soldiers have abandoned their previous slogans, now chanting, “Our souls, our blood, we sacrifice for Syria,” instead of the traditional, “Our souls, our blood, we sacrifice for Bashar.” This shift reflects a growing sense of disillusionment with the Assad regime and a renewed commitment to Syria’s independence, separate from the leadership of Bashar al-Assad.
While Maher’s words carry an air of defiance, they also reflect the internal fractures within the regime. Bashar al-Assad’s refusal to engage in dialogue with Syria’s opposition and his alienation of regional allies have led to a country on the brink of collapse. The Syrian president’s failure to respond to Israeli airstrikes or take decisive action against the growing power of groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has fueled a sense of abandonment among the Syrian population.
