“Towards a New Phase / The Syrian Military Council: Statement of the Free Alawite Officers”
Introduction:
The Syrian Military Council is an initiative aiming to establish a military body that includes officers who have defected from the Syrian regime, as well as those affiliated with the current military establishment. This aims to create leadership to lead Syria towards a transitional phase and form the nucleus for restructuring the entire Syrian Arab Army, ensuring the preservation of civil peace and cultural heritage. Observers are aware that at the forefront of this initiative is Brigadier General “Manaf Mustafa Tlass”, who defected from Assad’s military establishment in July 2012. He is the son of the former Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Mustafa Tlass, and he enjoys relative international, regional, and Arab acceptance.
The idea of establishing the Military Council was made public years ago. During this period, “Tlass” made contacts with Arab and Western countries, opening the door for his meeting with Russia and being listened to, in addition to meeting security and military personalities from the United States (outside of it) as well as Turkish diplomats and security officials. It seemed almost impossible for the international community to accept him as a successor to “Bashar al-Assad”, contrary to what was rumored at the time! However, the project to assemble free officers and establish a military council continues to experience international fluctuations, and its success remains linked to its capabilities to materialize on the ground by gathering officers and creating an acceptable blend among them (that includes officers from all sects and ranks). “Manaf Tlass” has so far achieved significant successes, firstly, by means of his name, which has not been overly exposed in the media like other Syrian defector personalities – he’s rarely seen in the media – and secondly, through self-financial support (initially) from the mastermind and dynamo of the project, his brother, the businessman “Firas Mustafa Tlass”.
Indeed, the defected Brigadier managed to gather signatures from dozens, if not hundreds, of officers and officer ranks both domestically and abroad in preparation for the creation of a viable core for his “Syrian Military Council” project.
A New Phase:
The announcement of the video statement of the Military Council yesterday, whether from the hills of “Al Sweida” or from the mountains of Latakia overlooking the city of” Al Qardaha” (as mentioned), on the evening of Friday, August 11, 2023, by those who named themselves “Free Alawite Officers” endorsing the Military Council under the leadership of “Manaf Tlass”, marks a step towards a significant phase. Especially as it came just one day after a televised interview of “Bashar al-Assad” on Sky News Arabia, where he emphasized the continuation of political stagnation and his persistence in a security and repressive solution towards the people and the revolution. This is in addition to his declaration of ossifying the Arab initiative, as reflected in his words.
Significance of the Statement of the Free Alawite Officers:
The statement by the Free Alawite Officers in their support for the “Syrian Military Council” is an important step in laying the foundation for political transition to power in Syria. The reverberations of their statement will surely be felt in the Presidential Palace in Damascus, not to mention shaking the confidence of the regime’s own officers in their leadership. Although the statement seems like a media move, it is part of a practical and realistic activity within the framework of forming the “Syrian Military Council”, led by someone who, until recently, was a close friend of Assad on both personal and institutional levels.
Additionally, the establishment of secure communication channels between officers of the “Syrian Military Council” inside Syria and “Manaf Tlass” outside the country will encourage other officers (both Alawites and non-Alawites) to follow suit and join them sooner or later to form the core of the “Syrian Military Council”.
The declaration by Alawite officers to jump ship from the Syrian regime is a significant indicator in terms of removing the decades-long fear that has dominated the Alawite sect, and officers from minority sects in Syria, which had heavy costs for their support of Bashar al-Assad.
There’s no doubt that Brigadier General Manaf Tlass is not walking alone in this endeavor. Perhaps the international “orange light” will soon turn green with signs of hidden international support, potentially paving the way for the Syrian Military Council to undertake surgical security operations. Some countries from the Arab League might endorse it in response to the stubbornness of the Syrian regime and its rejection of the Arab initiative.
Perhaps the presence of high-ranking military figures, such as generals, invites security entities to adopt the project of the “Syrian Military Council” with the aim of directing its compass towards achieving objectives that serve the interests of major countries like the United States in Syria. They also seek to inject new security information about the current military regime institution, especially given the current scarcity of information coming from within Syria. This is coupled with the lack of coordination prospects with the current fragmented Syrian opposition entities.
One of the strength factors of the “Syrian Military Council” today is its success in consolidating its ranks without any clash with any faction or group on the ground. It does not present itself as a potential alternative to any of them. This is evident from the council’s attendance at the conference of the Syrian National Liberation Movement in Afrin on 2023/7/28, within territories controlled by the Syrian opposition – allies of Turkey. This undoubtedly provides a practical insight into its flexibility in dealing with all the de facto powers.
The importance of the “Syrian Military Council” is manifested in that it is considered a non-confrontational solution with the Syrian Democratic Forces (often referred to by its Kurdish acronym, SDF or “QSD” in Arabic) should the latter decide to coordinate with it.
Conclusion:
In the “Syrian Future Movement”, we evaluate the “Syrian Military Council” based on what it delivers to the Syrian people, through actions that confirm its words, and its role in gathering free officers from all sects towards the objectives of the Syrian revolution in toppling the Assad regime, while preserving what remains of the Syrian state and its institutions!
We, in the “Syrian Future Movement”, believe that from now on, if the establishment of the “Syrian Military Council” entity succeeds, it must provide clear reassurances to our people that it will only be a safe bridge towards a democratic institutional governance system, not the nucleus for a new military rule in a new guise. It is a “Syrian Military Council” that works for the downfall of the “Assad regime” and ensures the unification of the “Army institution” towards the goal of protecting the smooth “political transition” of power in Syria.
Dr. Zaher Ihssan Baadarani
Presidency office
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Syrian Future Movement (SFM)
