Leaked calls reveal plot by al-Assad regime officers to destabilise Syria

Key Concepts

• Suil Hassan: Former Syrian military commander.
• Ramy Maklouf: Syrian businessman and cousin of Bashar al-Assad, identified as a key leader in reorganization efforts.
• Alawite Population: The majority religious group in Syria’s coastal region, currently facing increased instability.
• Regime Networks: Remnants of the former Assad government’s military structure attempting to reorganize.
• Leak: Hundreds of documents and audio recordings obtained by Al Jazeera revealing post-regime activity.
• Improvised Explosive Device (IED): A bomb constructed and deployed in an unconventional manner, used in the recent mosque attack.

Re-Emergence of Former Regime Networks in Syria

This report details the findings of an Al Jazeera investigation based on leaked documents and audio recordings obtained from a source who infiltrated the former Syrian regime’s military network. The source gained access by posing as an Israeli officer offering support, ultimately compromising the phone data of key individuals and pinpointing their locations, including that of Suil Hassan, a previously feared military commander now residing in Russia with his son.

Leadership Structure and Fighter Numbers

The leaked files reveal a concerted effort by former regime commanders to reorganize armed groups following the fall of the Assad government. A clear leadership structure is outlined, placing businessman Ramy Maklouf, a cousin of Bashar al-Assad, at the apex. Directly below Maklouf are senior former officers, notably Suil Hassan and Gay Dalah.

An audio recording features Suil Hassan discussing the strength of these reorganized forces and their financial backing. He states, “We have a very large number of fighters, officers, and soldiers. At the moment, there is a respectable and trustworthy person providing assistant, Mr. Rammy Maklu.” Handwritten documents attributed to Hassan estimate the potential strength of these loyalist networks at up to 168,000 fighters. These fighters are reportedly spread across Syria’s coastal areas, central region, and around Damascus.

Growing Instability and Sectarian Tensions

The revelation of these reorganized networks coincides with a period of increasing instability in Syria’s coastal region, which is predominantly populated by the Alawite community. This instability is evidenced by recent security incidents, including a bomb attack on a mosque in Homes last week. The attack, carried out using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) placed near the entrance, resulted in casualties among worshippers, highlighting the fragility of the security situation. This incident raises fears of renewed sectarian conflict.

Financing, Weaponry, and Cross-Border Coordination

Further leaked files detail the financing sources and weapons inventories of these groups. The documents list artillery, anti-tank missiles, and small arms, along with their geographic distribution. Planning for armed activity is specifically referenced for Syria’s coastal regions. Critically, the files also indicate coordination extending beyond Syria’s borders, specifically mentioning neighboring Lebanon.

Implications for the Current Government

The current government in Damascus is struggling to consolidate power and is facing a widening national unity crisis. The potential for armed groups to exploit existing sectarian tensions and derail the political transition is a significant concern. The re-emergence of these former regime networks presents a direct challenge to the stability of the new government and the ongoing efforts to establish a lasting peace.

Al Jazeera’s Investigative Approach

Al Jazeera’s investigation relied on a sophisticated infiltration strategy, leveraging compromised phone data to identify and track key figures. This allowed the source to establish contact with senior former officers under the guise of offering support, ultimately gaining access to critical documentation and audio recordings.