Among the various Alawite insurgent groups that oppose the Syrian government, ‘Coastal Shield’ still remains the most prominent brand. There has also been some interesting recent reporting from Reuters about the issue of ties between the Alawite insurgency and former regime figures in exile, such as Rami Makhlouf, Suhayl al-Hasan and Maher al-Assad.
The following interview was conducted with a figure in ‘Coastal Shield’- Abu al-Qasim- who previously served in the Syrian army, fighting on the Idlib front as the Assad regime collapsed. Topics discussed include the collapse of the former regime a year ago, the aims of the current Alawite insurgency, the question of ties to former regime figures and external actors, and the ongoing trial process held by the government in relation to the coastal massacres.
Q: Can you describe what happened in Idlib exactly during the days of the fall and why did the government’s forces collapse rapidly?
A: Brother, instructions came for us to withdraw via tetra devices. In addition, support completely stopped: no food, fuels, equipment or ammunition remained. When the tank you had ran out of fuel, you would park it and the crew would complete the route by walking on foot. I blew up three tanks because of fuel exhaustion so that the terrorist groups would not seize them.
Q: For what reasons did this collapse happen? For example some say corruption spread in the army. Others mention betrayal by officers, as though people got tired of Assad’s rule. What’s your reading?
I blew up three tanks because of fuel exhaustion so that the terrorist groups would not seize them.
A: Brother, corruption exists in all states of the world. We don’t deny that some officers were taking place, and of course a great betrayal took place during the collapse. Had this betrayal not taken place, Aleppo would not have fallen. Assad was waging war against the entire world. I do not defend him as he made many mistakes and he was a dictator par excellence, but I, you and all people know that Assad would not abandon his homeland and people in this way. There were big international agreements drawn up against him and no one knew about them.
Q: In your view did the Iranians and Hezbollah betray Syria in those moments?
A: The Shiite does not betray. Had he been engaging in betrayal or had an interest at the expense of his creed, he would not have clung to the Palestinian cause until this moment. Brother, the Iranians were the big losers in Syria’s battle, we all know who engaged in this conspiracy to cut the supply-line to Hezbollah and the Palestinian resistance.
Q: You mean Israel led the conspiracy.
A: Of course, and it has acknowledged this thing and does not deny him, and is now portraying itself as the friendly hand and defender of the rights of minorities. For more than 25 years, Israel has said that the plurality of sects and religious groups in Syria is what would help it to divide Syria.
Q: When the regime initially fell, were the Alawites ready to give an opportunity to the insurgents to demonstrate tolerance?
A: The Alawites are simple, secular, cultured and tolerant people. Our religions calls for tolerance and humanity, and when the terrorist factions entered the Alawite coast, they portrayed themselves as our brothers and sought to gain our favour. They gave us a security guarantee and then violated the pact, because they have no pact or covenant. They entered in the name of Islam when they know nothing about Islam. They claim to imitate the manners of our lord Muhammad (God’s peace and blessings be upon him), when they only take his name. Our lord Muhammad was sent to perfect noble ethics, and not to perfect Islam. As such, the one who has no ethics has no religion or pact.
The Alawites are simple, secular, cultured and tolerant people.
Q: Of course in March armed men mobilised towards the coast and committed massacres against the Alawites. Government supporters claim they were responding to a coup by ‘Assad loyalist elements’. Of course we can’t deny that some people attacked Jowlani’s forces at that time. So what was the aim of the attack exactly?
A: Dear brother, from the beginning of the first month of 2025 they began undertaking revenge acts, and so-called isolated cases of kidnapping and enslavement of women and girls. At the time we formed a popular resistance. We began to respond in kind, but on the 4th March they assaulted a neighbourhood in Latakia (al-Da‘tur) and engaged in random killing and terrorisation of the people. They also arrested people for no reason or accusation other than being of the Alawite sect. On 6th March, they launched a systematic campaign of arrests in Jabla countryside in the villages of al-Daliya and Bayt Ana for no reason and they came out in helicopters and threw barrel bombs on villages.
In these moments, the Alawite street rose up peacefully and confronted the repression with bullets, and they had no choice but to die with dignity. And so we rose up to take up our positions and seized the coastal region for more than 24 hours. And when the terrorist government saw how no more than 400 fighters seized two entire provinces and killed thousands in the terrorist’ ranks, they had no choice but to announce a systematic general mobilisation, on the pretext of fighting regime remnants and defending the Sunni religion. At this point they assaulted the coastal region, and they were met with a response till the last bullet from the noble mujahidin who came out in defence of their religion, people and dignity.
When the government elements entered and could not catch the mujahidin, they killed children, women and elderly. It was as though they entered to engage in systematic ethnic cleansing. All of us saw this. They killed, slaughtered and stole on 7th March and it was the holy month of Ramadan. With my own eyes I saw them drink alcohol, smoke weed, loot shops and curse the divine essence. So for God’s sake, what Islam is this? In this holy month you slaughter innocent children, drink wine, smoke weed and curse the Lord?
When the government elements entered and could not catch the mujahidin, they killed children, women and elderly.
Q: After the massacres on the coast, what are the aims of groups like Coastal Shield? Likewise Reuters published a report where it said that some personalities like Rami Makhlouf, Suhayl al-Hasan, Maher al-Assad and Kamal al-Hasan financially support the Alawite groups. Can you comment on that?
A: Our aims are clear. We do not call for war and we seek to stop bloodshed until now. Our aims and demands are the demands of our religious authority Shaykh Ghazal Ghazal (may God protect him).* We only receive support from noble people, regardless of the names put forth. Forgive me, I cannot explain more than that, but I can tell you that we are wholly ready and prepared when circumstances demand. With just 400 fighters and without logistical support, we seized control of the land. So imagine what things will be like with tens of thousands of fighters, and with wholesale support from supporting states.
Q: Some like the leader of Fawj Azra’il al-Jabal have said that they would welcome support from Israel if Israel actually stood with the Alawites. If Israel were to offer you support to establish an Alawite region on the coast, would you accept that?
A: I don’t have the decision to accept or reject. I am just a military commander and have higher commanders who coordinate. And I repeat that all of us, in all the formations and forces, are under the banner of Shaykh Ghazal Ghazal, and we all know that he will take the wisest and most correct decision and will guarantee the safety of the people of this noble sect.
Q: What’s your view of the trials announced by the government for the perpetrators of the terrorist massacres on the coast?
A: I swear to you by God that a five-year-old can see through them and respond to this joke: a judiciary without qualifications beyond 6th grade of primary school, brigadier and major generals who are not good at writing, ministers who were slaughtering with their own hands and attacking the Noble Virgin Mary who is mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. They claim affiliation with Islam, and how stupidly ignorant they are.
I was an officer in the noble Syrian Arab Army with the rank of first lieutenant, I bet the ignorant Defence Minister does not have more military knowledge or better ability to put in place tactical plans than I have.
Q: What do you personally think of the ideology of the Baath Party that ruled Syria? Is this ideology a failure in your view? I ask because many government supporters accuse the Alawite formations of being ‘regime remnants’ but it is clear no one is trying to revive the Baath Party or its rule in Syria.
A: Brother, in the time of the immortal leader Hafez al-Assad, the Baath Party was a party that strove to build Syria and we all know this, and I cannot answer for myself because I was not present at that time, but subsequently in the time of Bashar al-Assad, it became merely a party in name, to which you would affiliate to get job opportunities or apply to military colleges. We are with the idea of a multi-party system and even the existence of the communist party. We are with humanity. You won’t be able to build a homeland when you see me as being from a specific sect or party. When you see me as a human being and deal with me as a person, we can build a homeland and concept of citizenship that has nothing above it.
When you see me as a human being and deal with me as a person, we can build a homeland and concept of citizenship that has nothing above it.
Q: Of course there are some Alawites who work with Jowlani’s government. In your view are these people traitors who deserve death?
A: I have recently put out a statement in which I spoke about the traitors:
‘To those who have chosen darkness and betrayal, and those who have sold their conscience to the enemy, to the internal traitors and collaborators, we mention now the words of the noble Prophet that define the characteristics of betrayal and hypocrisy: ‘The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise he goes back on it; and when he is entrusted with something he betrays.’ All this hypocrisy has come together in these traitors. Therefore we say with pride and honour, in words that cannot be forgotten or overlooked: there is no pardon with the sword of justice, or forgiveness in the law of honour. The traitor is to be punished with death, and humiliation will follow him to the grave. We say with unshakeable clarity and determination: there is no forgiveness or salvation for the one who stabs the nation in the back. So let every traitor know that the hand of the resistance will catch him, and this holy land will be purged of all filth. There is no slacking or forgiveness. Long live the resistance and long live dignity.’
Q: What’s your message to the Jowlani government and your message to the international community?
A: To the Jowlani government: stop this filthy behaviour and the systematic operations in the name of Islam and its banner. Falsehood reigns for a time and truth reigns for periods of time. Are those who believe and those who do not believe equal?
We are the people of truth and have a just cause. Our civilisation and culture have been well-known from time immemorial. We expelled the Ottomans who behaved tyrannically. We expelled the French, and until now they derive knowledge and culture from our civilisation and don’t deny that. For they used to go to the eminent Shaykh Sulayman al-Ahmad (may God sanctify his spirit) in order to learn from him in philosophy, mathematics and other subjects. Do you think that we are incapable in the face of some cowardly terrorists who fear us when we look at them, given that when they want to go and arrest someone they bring a massive army to sow terror and yet they cannot arrest him? We are the people of the mountains: our mountains are defined by their sturdiness, and who besides God (Exalted is He in His Majesty) can break the person defined by the sturdiness of mountains?
I hope the international community will wholly review all the facts, and we are satisfied with the truth. We ask the international community to take decisive measures as soon as possible in order to be rid of this terrorist government, and implement just trials against all who dare to kill a human being under the banner of Islam, and suppress the extremist jihadists in all the regions of the world. Thank you.
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*Ghazal Ghazal heads an Alawite body called the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and Abroad. He is popular among Alawites who have a more skeptical stance towards the new Syrian government.
Published originally on December 13, 2025
