By: Tal Beeri.
Since the overthrow of the Assad regime, Abu Muhammad al-Julani has held two meetings (on December 11 and 20)[1] with leaders of rebel factions throughout Syria, with an emphasis on those from the south of the country. Participants included those who, until recently, were deeply involved in cooperation with the Assad regime and the drug trade, one of the regime’s main sources of income. The participation of some individuals is already arousing resentment against them on social media among the residents of southern Syria, who distinctly remember their crimes against the local population.
It seems that one of the main challenges facing the new regime in Syria is the degree of “de-Assadization”. The desire to retaliate against the elements of the previous regime is clear and understandable. Assad regime-free senior officials with experience and influence on the ground will be hard to find. Particularly in southern Syria, where numerous individuals have oscillated between the regime and the opposition, particularly recently.
Here is the information we gathered about some of the participants in the above meetings. The meeting on December 20 included commanders from two main organizations – the “Operations Room of Fatah Damascus” [2] and the “Operations Room of the South.” The meeting is meant to be part of the process of reconsolidating the Syrian Ministry of Defense and examining how to integrate the various militias into it (in order to dismantle them). [3]
احمد العودة (أبو حمزة) احمد العودة (أبو حمزة) Ahmad al-Awda (Abu Hamza) from the town of Basra al-Sham. He attended the meeting on December 11. The commander of the opposition organization, Brigade 8 (Al-Lawa al-Thamen), which operated under Russian auspices. During the recent period, he has reverted to identifying with the regime opposition. Among other things, he was filmed firing in the air as a sign of joy in the center of his town when the death of Hassan Nasrallah was confirmed.[4]
علي الصباح المقداد (علي باش) Ali Al-Sabah al-Miqdad (Ali Bash). He was present at the meeting with al-Julani on December 11. A close associate of Ahmed al-Awda. It was alleged that he was deeply involved in drug trafficking.[5]
مؤيد الاقرع (بني حيان) Wavid al-Aqra’ (Bani Hayyan) from the town of Hayat. He was also present at the meeting with Al-Julani on December 11. A close associate of Ahmed al-Awda. It was alleged against him that he was deeply involved in drug trafficking.[6] Subordinate to the operations room of the South. Over the past few days, he has been seen in the city of Nawa in the Syrian Golan. [7]
عماد أبو زريق Imad Abu Zreik from the town of Nasib. He attended a meeting of rebel factions with al-Julani on December 20. Serious allegations were raised on social media against his participation in the meeting due to his deep involvement in the Captagon trade, with an emphasis on the Nasib border crossing, for which US sanctions were imposed against him. Beginning in 2018, after a short interim period in Jordan, the local militia he commanded operated in the service of the Assad regime.[8] Over the past few years, he has been the subject of several assassination attempts, in which children from his family were killed, among others. Now it is claimed that he does not forget his friends from the Assad regime and helps them escape the wrath of the population. For example, he helped Louis al-Ali, the head of the Assad regime’s security apparatuses in Daraa escape. [9]
أبو منذر الدهني Abu Mander al-Dahani from the city of Daraa. In the past, he was an opposition activist who played a central role in the campaign against Assad as part of the “operations room of the south.”[10] After the regime recaptured southern Syria, he joined the forces that supported the regime. Serious allegations against him that he was a senior member of the apparatuses of Louis al-Ali, the head of the security apparatuses of the Assad regime in Daraa and a war criminal who fled when the regime was overthrown. Attend the meeting on December 20.[11]
أبو شريف محاميد Abu Sharif Mahameed from the city of Daraa. He was known as a senior member of the regime’s security apparatus and was active in the drug trade. Attended a meeting with al-Julani on December 20. [12]
أبو حسن مسالمة Abu Hassan Masalmeh from the city of Daraa. Attended the meeting on December 20. He fought against the Syrian regime until 2018.[13] He is a member of the large Al-Masalmeh family in Daraa, which was closely connected to the radical Shiite axis led by Iran.
أبو عمر الزغلول Abu Omar al-Zaghloul from the town of um al-Mayadan. Commander of the Aswad (Lions) Militia Alsuna. It is claimed that in recent years he abandoned and fled to Jordan and returned to southern Syria only a few days before the fall of the Assad regime. At odds and threatened by some of Ahmed al-Awda’s men, especially Ali Bash.[14] It is claimed that all those who have returned to Syria only recently are foreign agents of other Arab countries such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Attended the meeting on December 20.[15]
انس الصلخدي (لزعيم)[16] Anas al-Salkhdi (al-Za’im)[17] from the town of al-Nuaimah. Senior commander in the “Operations Room of the South”. Attended the meeting on December 20. On December 6, he announced the intention of the rebel organizations in southern Syria to advance towards the capital Damascus and overthrow the regime. [18] According to other sources, he became the commander of the ” Fatah Damascus Operations Room” organization (apparently this happened as the campaign progressed). He was the first to enter the capital city and take over its main sites.[19] Upon the takeover of Sednaya Prison, he was seen there trying to bring order to the mass assault of people on the prison in an attempt to locate and free their relatives imprisoned there.[20] In an interview he gave on Syrian television, he called for unity among all sectors and ethnic and religious groups in Syria for a common and worthy future. He called for avoiding joyous celebrations that include firing in the air in light of the risk involved. He noted that the existing government institutions must be supported in order to restore stability to the country.[21]
[1] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14r2KUBA49/
[2] No connection to the Fatah organization
[3] https://www.horanfree.com/archives/17476
[4] https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15qsLNMkiG/
[5] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FKWbFSwXG/
[6] Ibid
[7] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DKBUym7WR/
[8] https://x.com/DilshadKhalaf/status/1870939940168896692?t=i3zKWyJ2A-MGjKb3njR1Qw&s=08
[9] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ArRvEF3mx/
[10] https://x.com/almasalma6861/status/614154067351179264?t=LrGOPfWekRtLv9000agU2Q&s=08
[11] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19ia8X6e7x/
[12] https://x.com/Kalmuqdad/status/1870553922454409694?t=NRCBQuKleieqPog1OnVVdA&s=08
[13] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14r2KUBA49/
[14] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DLuenGEQ2
[15] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1WnGbTxVDk/
[16] https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14rDW9RHTs/
[17] ‘The Leader’
[18] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19hK926V5u/
[19] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15VnigkLFx/
[20] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18Kbf5CdGd/
[21] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1KL8PbbMLF/