Facebook Turns Green

How some Alawite fighters have responded to the fall of Assad

The rapid fall of the Assad regime and capitulation of his army means there will be no last holdouts in the mountains of coastal Syria. Opposition groups and local civilians have spent the past day publishing video of town after town announcing its rejection of Assad and commitment to a unified country. “Our people from all sects, Christians, Alawites, Sunnis, Druze and Ismailis, the Syrian people are one, to our people in Tartous, work with us to build our country, we will present a model to be proud of."

Loyalists, both civilians and fighters, have in turn begun changing their social media presence to reflect this new reality. Free Syrian Army flags and green hearts now adorn many Facebook profiles that just two days ago were posting about the inevitable victory of the regime. Aymenn al-Tamimi has written about his own observations of this change among his contacts who were previously part of the “resistance axis” - members or supporters of Iran and Hezbollah’s Syria network.

The same can be seen among some Alawite fighters as well. The reactions among loyalists communities should be an important reminder that the reasons for ‘supporting’ Assad varied hugely from person to person. Many Syrians opposed Assad himself but supported the state, preferring it to what they felt would either be the chaos of revolution or an Islamist takeover. Others may have supported the revolution but been forced to join regime security forces to protect their family. Many minorities have claimed that they felt they had no choice but to fight for Assad, fearing the opposition was determined to eradicate their sects (this is explicitly addressed several times below). And of course, some of the now professed claims of support for free Syria are lies, men just trying to blend with the new reality.

Below are five transcriptions of posts made in the past day by Alawites affiliated with regime forces (I have not included screenshots like usual in order to help preserve their privacy). However, it should be noted that in an initial review of the author’s Facebook network, most combatants seem to have simply deleted their profiles, gone private, or stopped posting and deleted every picture and post linking them to the regime. This of course will have unfortunate implications for accountability work and makes the proper securing and cataloguing of regime documents all the more important over the next weeks.

An Alawite from Homs and former member of the Tigers Forces:

“I say it out loud, how delusional I was... perhaps we were prisoners of the culture of fear... or perhaps we feared change because we imagined that it would lead to blood and chaos... but here we are entering a new phase with men whose nobility amazed us in spreading the culture of tolerance and the desire to restore the unity of the Syrian people... Thank you because I feel that I have spread my fear and delusions... I courageously apologize for what I saw and thought about.”

“Dear brothers

What happened in our dear and precious country is what every free Syrian wished for. Praise be to God for everything. Our brothers in the village of Umm Al-Amad, God willing, one day things will be in the management of the new government, starting from the self for the benefit of everyone, so that we can work in the village and return families to it with the word of free and honorable people. Tomorrow, God willing, the shops and businesses will open and we will live a normal life”

A middle-aged Alawite from Latakia:

“I remember when I was arrested in 2015, two police officers came and I was covered in blood, He said, ‘Stop here,’ I asked him why, he said ‘you were complaining about something that happened to you,’ I told him “now is not the time for this talk,’ he said ‘what happened,’ I told him ‘leave me alone I forgive you.‘

Guys, the situation just needs a rational thought. The Basus War [a war in ancient Iraq that started over a murder between two tribes] lasted 40 years because of grudges. What are we fighting about in the first place!

We are fighting because of a group ruling the country whose only concern is the power of the individual! Before 2011, there was corruption and people did not dare to speak up, and they lived by their ability.

The policy of leadership according to loyalty has ended. I also remember when I was imprisoned in Sednaya for 4 months in 2014 on charges of insulting and degrading the President of the Republic. Before handing me over to the judiciary, the head of the Laqtifa branch bargained with me. He said, “Why did you come to serve in the army?” and repeated the question three times. I told him, “I came to serve for the sake of my family, my country, and these poor people.” He said, “And Bashar al-Assad?” I told him, “He has people to serve.” He slapped me hard and said, “You are a liar, not one of the thugs like you who ruined the country.”

So I hope for awareness and forgiveness. The other party has been asking for reconciliation several times with statements. Do not let our grudges and what we plant in our heads make us think that there is no justice, and do not think that they are not oppressed. They are like us. They have people who were killed and they consider them martyrs like us. They fought this battle regardless of international policies and what they want. Our army did not flee. Do not believe anything except that deep down every Syrian soldier had the idea that I do not want to kill. For what and for whom? The Syrian army's doctrine was destroyed because of the stupidity of the ruler, but in the end we reached this point and it's over. We need to open a new page.

And every 12/8/2024, may you be well.”

An Alawite from Homs formerly in a regime militia:

“To all Syrians.. We were living on the edge of a devil's door, don't let us live on the edge of a devil's door again! Hospitals are full full full of injuries.. People are dying from celebratory bullets through no fault of theirs!

There is a difference between the regime and state institutions. The regime fell, but these institutions are ours, our property, and our right. What does it mean for us to enter a university, a hospital, or a building and destroy and smash it? This is not ours, not theirs. This is ours! Imagine yourself breaking and burning your house because a bad guest entered it, your house or his?!

This stage is as much a dream as it is a responsibility. The state of chaos will give birth to greater chaos and destruction.. We have been honored by years and years of obstinacy…Have mercy on us and have mercy on this country and let us rebuild what is left of it…It requires reason and wisdom.. Otherwise we will return to a cycle from which we will not emerge…Peace be upon Syria.. because it deserves peace 💚”

Prominent Alawite commander of the Tiger Forces

“We hope to live in a safe and harmonious homeland with all its sects, with love and tolerance. Free Syria.”

A prominent media correspondent of the Tiger Forces

“Dear sons of my country

Let us join hands and bury the grudges and sorrows and close the history we lived with its sorrows and joys. And we ask the kind Creator to guide our leaders to justice and equality and direct them to do good for this noble people who have been hurt and starved by wars....Thank God for not shedding more blood...and Syria will remain for all its sons”