A billionaire cousin of ousted syrian president bashar al-assad on wednesday criticized calls by loyalist religious leader ghazal ghazal for federalism in syria during recent protests in the country.:ssad on Wednesday criticized calls by loyalist religious leader Ghazal Ghazal for federalism in Syria during recent protests in the country.
According to Anadolu Agency, Rami Makhlouf made his statements on the US social media platform Facebook. Makhlouf, whose whereabouts remain unknown since Assad's ouster, urged Syrians to remain calm and stay in their homes. He expressed concern over the direction in which some individuals are leading the country. He remarked, "Unfortunately, some people are leading us down a very dangerous path; a path of no return. We are being dragged into things that Alawites should never be involved in."
Makhlouf questioned the rationale behind the recent protests and criticized Sheikh Ghazal's actions during the demonstrations. "What was the result? Some people came out. For example, Sheikh Ghazal appeared with his chest bare. So what does this mean? Should we all perish today, for what? For federalism?" he stated.
The protests erupted in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, as well as some other provinces, following a call by Ghazal. The protests were sparked by a deadly mosque attack in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Homs, which resulted in eight casualties and numerous injuries. In the aftermath, Ghazal, known for his close ties to the defunct Baathist regime, urged supporters to demand "political federalism and international protection."
In response to the unrest, the new Syrian administration is focused on tightening security conditions nationwide and pursuing remnants of the former regime accused of causing security disturbances. With Bashar al-Assad's departure to Russia, marking the end of the Baath Party regime, a new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was established in January.