By Mohaled al-Hussein
(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian regime backed by Iran and Russia, seeks to recruit the largest number of young men from the region of eastern Syria into the “Al-Jazira and Euphrates Mobilization” militias, the Fifth Legion- Storm Troopers, and the National Defense among other militias.
At the same time, the regime seeks to recruit the tribal elders and notables to use them as a winning card internally to influence their tribes and externally as a media and political pressure on western countries.
The regime maneuvers come at the same time as the United States is working through its ally the Democratic Union Party to recruit and train small brigades formed of tribal members in areas including Manbij, al-Raqqah and al-Hasakah. By training these brigades, the American supported Kurdish party can justify entering the Euphrates areas which are predominantly Arab and tribal. The moves are a measure to control Syria’s strategic economy based on the excuse of destroying the Islamic State forces present in these areas.
The struggles over influence in the area explain the regime enticing Nawaf al-Bashir, the sheikh of al-Baggara tribe, one of the largest tribes in al-Jazira to return to the regime fold. Iran exaggerated al-Bashir’s interest in returning to the regime, as Farsnews, an official Iranian media outlet, said that Ziad al-Hassan known as al-Haj Baqr the commander of the Imam al-Baqr Brigade which fought in Aleppo communicated with al-Bashir who was in Turkey to move him to Russia and then to Iran. The media outlet explained that al-Bashir influences a large number of persons fighting against the regime and will affect the Syrian opposition, although he did not hold a position in the opposition originally. Observers suggest that the Iranians are promoting an Iraqi scenario in the Syrian al-Jazira region.
Al-Bashir, and before him Ahmad al-Jarba, joined the Autonomous Administration for all segments of the Shammar tribe in Syria to be incorporated under the umbrella of the Democratic Union Party. The failure of the military plan to isolate Syrian al-Raqqah from Iraqi Mosul, prompted a rearrangement of the battle for the Euphrates basin. The battle to isolate al-Raqqah from Mosul began on 17 October 2016, but the New Syrian Army was unable to reach the city of al-Bukamal and was defeated by the Islamic State forces. The militias led by the Democratic Union Party stopped advancing close to the Abu Khashab town north of Deir Ez Zor.
In tandem with the failure of the Russian and American discussions regarding Syria and the diplomatic rupture between them, came news of regime losses in its fight against the Islamic State forces. The regime is undeclared ally in the fight against the Islamic State forces. The regime army supported by the Russian air force sustained losses in its battle against the Islamic State forces to regain Palmyra city. The losses made talks of breaking the siege imposed by the Islamic State on the city of Deir Ez Zor and cutting off its supply lines from Iraq via the Syrian plains, unrealistic.
With these ongoing political and military maneuvers it is necessary to remember that these are sheikhs for tribes which are no longer armed or united, as was the case prior to settlement. There are many persons demanding tribal respect in these marginalized areas including al-Bashir and al-Jaraba who want to govern the area they are in, even if it is just a district. The clamoring for power reduced al-Jarab’s ambition of an al-Jazira Emirate to governing a canton in the administration of the Democratic Union.
According to Syrian activists, these sheikhs are no different from the opposition celebrities on social media who are only concerned with fame, respect and money. These sheikhs are also unable to mobilize fighters to join them if they decide to take particular action whether in support of the Syrian opposition, to side with the al-Assad regime, or even the route mapped out by the United States of America.
The Democratic Union, America’s agent on the ground, established the Deir Ez Zor Military Council at the same time the head of the regime Popular Assembly Hediya al-Abbas supported the establishment of special mobilization militias for the youths in the area which pay high salaries. The race is on for Syria’s east after the last battle for Aleppo, especially as the east is known for its natural resources to the degree it was named “Syria’s Food Basket” after Bashar al-Assad took over rule in 2000.
Political analysts and observers suggest that the tribes will be at the forefront of the American-Russian race to control the area. The importance of this region of Syria is well perceived by Nawaf al-Bashir in his return to the fold of the regime, or more accurately the Iranian and Russian fold. His action was an improvisation after Turkey sabotaged his plans to participate in the Euphrates Shield operation with a brigade he established with American support after meetings with American intelligence operatives.
Syrian al-Jazira is a producer of fuel, agricultural products, livestock as well as holding a large water supply. The area is an important source of electrical energy which affect the factories and markets of Aleppo, Damascus, and other Syrian cities located between these two major cities. Fabrice Balanche, the research director in Lyon Two University, said in a report published by the Washington Institute on 04 January 2017 that the area of al-Jazira and the Euphrates resembled an ‘internal colony’ in the country, so will the residents of the area accept a return to this situation?
Balanche commented, “The economic relations highlight the regimes continuous desire to regain control of eastern Syria, and, in turn, shows that anyone who has control over eastern Syria will be able to exercise great influence on the al-Assad regime.”
Observers and commentators voice different opinions regarding what America seeks in the Syrian al-Jazira by using the Democratic Union Party which is preparing brigades through forced conscription or tempting tribal members with high salaries, and nominally promoting some tribal sheikhs. The American moves pushed Russia, Iran and Turkey to come to agreement to alter the equation and confront its project.
It must be understood that the tribes have become one large and extensive family and it is one of the cornerstones of the al-Jazira area; nuclear families are but a small part of this massive structure. The regime and other organizations in the al-Jazira area comprehend these dynamics while western countries, large segments of the opposition, many media activists, and revolutionary theoreticians (if the term can be applied), are insistent on presenting the tribes as armed groups or political parties. On this basis, they direct praises of insults to them based on their decisions to oppose or support.
In reality, the al-Assad regime, the Autonomous Administration, and even the Islamic State are the only actors fully conscious of these dynamics, and they use them to achieve political aims and send internal and external messages. The Syrian opposition has not benefited from any tribal figures neither those with principles, integrity and who still maintain authentic traditions nor those who are ambitious and seek money and respect.
(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Syrian regime backed by Iran and Russia, seeks to recruit the largest number of young men from the region of eastern Syria into the “Al-Jazira and Euphrates Mobilization” militias, the Fifth Legion- Storm Troopers, and the National Defense among other militias.
At the same time, the regime seeks to recruit the tribal elders and notables to use them as a winning card internally to influence their tribes and externally as a media and political pressure on western countries.
The regime maneuvers come at the same time as the United States is working through its ally the Democratic Union Party to recruit and train small brigades formed of tribal members in areas including Manbij, al-Raqqah and al-Hasakah. By training these brigades, the American supported Kurdish party can justify entering the Euphrates areas which are predominantly Arab and tribal. The moves are a measure to control Syria’s strategic economy based on the excuse of destroying the Islamic State forces present in these areas.
The struggles over influence in the area explain the regime enticing Nawaf al-Bashir, the sheikh of al-Baggara tribe, one of the largest tribes in al-Jazira to return to the regime fold. Iran exaggerated al-Bashir’s interest in returning to the regime, as Farsnews, an official Iranian media outlet, said that Ziad al-Hassan known as al-Haj Baqr the commander of the Imam al-Baqr Brigade which fought in Aleppo communicated with al-Bashir who was in Turkey to move him to Russia and then to Iran. The media outlet explained that al-Bashir influences a large number of persons fighting against the regime and will affect the Syrian opposition, although he did not hold a position in the opposition originally. Observers suggest that the Iranians are promoting an Iraqi scenario in the Syrian al-Jazira region.
Al-Bashir, and before him Ahmad al-Jarba, joined the Autonomous Administration for all segments of the Shammar tribe in Syria to be incorporated under the umbrella of the Democratic Union Party. The failure of the military plan to isolate Syrian al-Raqqah from Iraqi Mosul, prompted a rearrangement of the battle for the Euphrates basin. The battle to isolate al-Raqqah from Mosul began on 17 October 2016, but the New Syrian Army was unable to reach the city of al-Bukamal and was defeated by the Islamic State forces. The militias led by the Democratic Union Party stopped advancing close to the Abu Khashab town north of Deir Ez Zor.
In tandem with the failure of the Russian and American discussions regarding Syria and the diplomatic rupture between them, came news of regime losses in its fight against the Islamic State forces. The regime is undeclared ally in the fight against the Islamic State forces. The regime army supported by the Russian air force sustained losses in its battle against the Islamic State forces to regain Palmyra city. The losses made talks of breaking the siege imposed by the Islamic State on the city of Deir Ez Zor and cutting off its supply lines from Iraq via the Syrian plains, unrealistic.
With these ongoing political and military maneuvers it is necessary to remember that these are sheikhs for tribes which are no longer armed or united, as was the case prior to settlement. There are many persons demanding tribal respect in these marginalized areas including al-Bashir and al-Jaraba who want to govern the area they are in, even if it is just a district. The clamoring for power reduced al-Jarab’s ambition of an al-Jazira Emirate to governing a canton in the administration of the Democratic Union.
According to Syrian activists, these sheikhs are no different from the opposition celebrities on social media who are only concerned with fame, respect and money. These sheikhs are also unable to mobilize fighters to join them if they decide to take particular action whether in support of the Syrian opposition, to side with the al-Assad regime, or even the route mapped out by the United States of America.
The Democratic Union, America’s agent on the ground, established the Deir Ez Zor Military Council at the same time the head of the regime Popular Assembly Hediya al-Abbas supported the establishment of special mobilization militias for the youths in the area which pay high salaries. The race is on for Syria’s east after the last battle for Aleppo, especially as the east is known for its natural resources to the degree it was named “Syria’s Food Basket” after Bashar al-Assad took over rule in 2000.
Political analysts and observers suggest that the tribes will be at the forefront of the American-Russian race to control the area. The importance of this region of Syria is well perceived by Nawaf al-Bashir in his return to the fold of the regime, or more accurately the Iranian and Russian fold. His action was an improvisation after Turkey sabotaged his plans to participate in the Euphrates Shield operation with a brigade he established with American support after meetings with American intelligence operatives.
Syrian al-Jazira is a producer of fuel, agricultural products, livestock as well as holding a large water supply. The area is an important source of electrical energy which affect the factories and markets of Aleppo, Damascus, and other Syrian cities located between these two major cities. Fabrice Balanche, the research director in Lyon Two University, said in a report published by the Washington Institute on 04 January 2017 that the area of al-Jazira and the Euphrates resembled an ‘internal colony’ in the country, so will the residents of the area accept a return to this situation?
Balanche commented, “The economic relations highlight the regimes continuous desire to regain control of eastern Syria, and, in turn, shows that anyone who has control over eastern Syria will be able to exercise great influence on the al-Assad regime.”
Observers and commentators voice different opinions regarding what America seeks in the Syrian al-Jazira by using the Democratic Union Party which is preparing brigades through forced conscription or tempting tribal members with high salaries, and nominally promoting some tribal sheikhs. The American moves pushed Russia, Iran and Turkey to come to agreement to alter the equation and confront its project.
It must be understood that the tribes have become one large and extensive family and it is one of the cornerstones of the al-Jazira area; nuclear families are but a small part of this massive structure. The regime and other organizations in the al-Jazira area comprehend these dynamics while western countries, large segments of the opposition, many media activists, and revolutionary theoreticians (if the term can be applied), are insistent on presenting the tribes as armed groups or political parties. On this basis, they direct praises of insults to them based on their decisions to oppose or support.
In reality, the al-Assad regime, the Autonomous Administration, and even the Islamic State are the only actors fully conscious of these dynamics, and they use them to achieve political aims and send internal and external messages. The Syrian opposition has not benefited from any tribal figures neither those with principles, integrity and who still maintain authentic traditions nor those who are ambitious and seek money and respect.
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