You can watch a video depicting the anger of supporters of Bashar al-Assad and members of his sect from the heart of Latakia, wherein the speaker delivers a sharp criticism directed at the head of the regime and its allies, namely Iran and Russia. The speaker presents the dire reality facing the sect, which is on the verge of extinction, and highlights the critical condition in areas under regime control, now wholly dominated by Iran and Russia, which have seized all productive institutions. In the course of his remarks, the speaker emphasizes the urgent need to act swiftly to address this reality and to foster reconciliation with the Sunni sect, with whom, he stated, "we used to live as brothers in this country through both good and bad times, until this regime placed us in confrontation with them in order to preserve its seat of power, even at the cost of the last Alawite in this nation." He further added that the regime labeled Sunnis as members of ISIS or the Muslim Brotherhood, which is contrary to the truth—as evidenced by the fact that members of our own sect reside in Turkey with dignity and honor, enjoying personal and economic security. This stands in contrast to the narrative propagated by the Assad regime, which portrayed the Turkish government as a sectarian, extremist, and terrorist regime determined to eliminate members of our sect by all means.
Will the Regime's Popular Base Erupt Against Assad?
In recent times, there has been a noticeable rise in voices of protest emanating from the regime’s popular base, as well as from within its inner circles. This has become especially apparent following the regime’s denial of the presence of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and its persistent refusal to acknowledge any fatalities caused by the virus—despite the fact that the bodies of the deceased were being returned to their families under unprecedented precautionary measures. The severity of public outcry has further intensified due to the deplorable conditions of the buildings designated for quarantine, as documented in video footage widely circulated on social media platforms. This is in addition to the disputes that erupted among medical staff and the exchange of accusations during a televised interview.
In a Related Development
Within less than twenty-four hours of the Syrian Minister of Health's announcement regarding the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Syria, the Syrian Ministry of Interior issued an official statement through its verified Facebook page, threatening citizens with arrest and legal prosecution should they disseminate any information related to the coronavirus within the country.
This situation exemplifies the oppressive reality experienced by citizens residing in regime-controlled areas, where individual freedoms are heavily suppressed. The mere act of speaking about a global pandemic—an issue of international concern—could lead the individual to face detention and imprisonment.
The statement issued by the Ministry of Interior included the following details:
“As part of the measures adopted by the Syrian government to address the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Syrian Ministry of Interior urges fellow citizens to verify all information related to the disease and to obtain such information exclusively from official and designated sources, namely the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Information, which are the sole authorities authorized by the government to act as official spokespeople and reference points.”
Testimony of a Pro-Regime Supporter from Within Latakia
إقرأ/ي أيضا:
عدنان الأسد جاسوس لاسرائيل كيف اخفى القصر الجمهوري هذه الفضيحة
English 
Arabic