Exiled Assad cronies fund covert militias, exposing chaos and power struggles inside the collapsing Arab dictatorship.
A new Reuters investigation has unveiled the deepening chaos inside Syria’s fractured Arab regime, revealing that senior allies of the ousted dictator Bashar al-Assad are attempting to ignite a counter-movement by secretly funneling millions of dollars to tens of thousands of potential fighters. Operating from exile in Russia, Lebanon, and the UAE, these men are scrambling to reassert influence over the Alawite community as Syria continues unraveling after decades of brutality and corruption under Assad’s rule.
The report identifies Maj. Gen. Kamal Hassan, Assad’s former military-intelligence chief, and Rami Makhlouf, the notorious regime oligarch, as the two main power brokers competing to seize control of Syria’s coastal regions and parts of Lebanon. Through rival networks, both are said to be financing more than 50,000 fighters, desperate to rebuild influence in a region shattered by Arab civil wars and Iranian-backed militias.
Reuters found that the two exiled factions are battling for supremacy over a sprawling web of clandestine command centers and weapons depots created during Assad’s final years. Current Syrian officials confirm the facilities exist but claim they are weakened relics of a collapsing era.
Sources told Reuters that Hassan has been rallying disaffected commanders, lamenting the authority he once wielded, while Makhlouf portrays himself as the “inevitable return” to power—despite being widely blamed for the corruption that helped devastate Syria. Both men have been wiring funds to retired officers and local strongmen, illustrating the desperation of competing Arab factions trying to salvage influence amid Syria’s ruin.
Syria’s new leadership has deployed former Assad insider Khaled al-Ahmad to counter these plots and convince Alawites that the exiles offer nothing but instability. Officials insist they are aware of the schemes and are working to neutralize them.
Interviews conducted by Reuters reveal that many commanders have accepted payments simply due to economic collapse—highlighting the exiles’ weakness rather than strength. Others dismissed the factions as incapable of organizing a meaningful challenge. Documents reviewed by Reuters show inflated claims of “tens of thousands of fighters,” while salary records paint a different picture: depleted funds and minimal loyalty.
Reuters found no evidence that either group has mobilized real forces on the ground. Syrian authorities say the exiles lack the capability, manpower, and strategic depth to launch a serious challenge—especially as Russia keeps a cold distance, hosting the exiles but offering no support.
Tensions within Syria’s Alawite community surged after deadly clashes earlier this year. Although neither Makhlouf nor Hassan started the unrest, the instability gave them an opening to revive their ambitions. Yet even with old weapons caches still hidden along the coast, commanders interviewed by Reuters say none of the exiled factions present a credible vision for Syria’s future.
What emerges is a portrait of a collapsed Arab dictatorship, riddled with rivalries, shadowy militias, and exiled warlords—further proof that Israel’s northern neighbor remains unstable, divided, and nowhere near rebuilding coherent governance.
