Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam addressed a letter to the Alawiyya sect, to which Assad belongs, urging them to disassociate themselves from the regime and calling on their sons in the armed forces to join the revolution. Khaddam emphasized the need to stop the bloodshed, hold Bashar al-Assad accountable, and restore national unity that has been dismantled by the regime.
In the letter obtained by “Youm7,” Khaddam stated, “This is my final message to you before the imminent fall of the serial killer Bashar al-Assad and his ruling clique, with the hope of salvaging what can be salvaged. In my previous letters, I appealed to you to recognize the severity of the killings, destruction, and looting in the country, and to take a clear stance condemning the deadly regime. I called on your sons, who are being used by the serial killer Bashar Al-Assad to commit brutal crimes against the Syrian people. I warned you that your silence would align you with the killer and have serious repercussions for you.”
Khaddam further expressed his disappointment, stating, “Unfortunately, you did not take a position, and circumstances have taken a different turn. The ‘tyrant’ Bashar Al-Assad has succeeded in involving the Alawite community in the war he is waging against the Syrian people.”
The former Syrian Vice President continued, “Did you not feel any remorse when you witnessed the slaughter of children, women, the elderly, and other citizens in rural areas of Homs, Hama, Idlib, Horan, Rif Dimashq, Deir ez-Zor, Jabal al-Kurd, and in the city of Al-Hafah and Salma village in Lattakia governorate? Did you not think about the future? Recall Hafez al-Assad’s reaction when he killed dozens of his own supporters during their clash with the people of the city. He besieged Hama, destroyed it, and killed over twenty thousand of its citizens. It was his duty to protect them, not to kill them.”
Khaddam emphasized that there is still a limited opportunity for Alawites to declare their innocence from the Syrian regime and call on their sons in the armed forces to rebel against the regime and join the revolution. By doing so, they can help stop the bloodshed, hold Bashar al-Assad accountable, and contribute to the restoration of national unity. He hoped that the Alawite sect would not fear Bashar, as it would not protect them from his crimes against the people.
It is worth noting that the majority of Syrian armed forces, particularly the commanders of brigades, weapons, and battalions, belong to the Alawite sect, to which the ruling Assad family also belongs. Consequently, accusations have been made against the Alawite community for their involvement in massacres against the Syrian people who are rebelling against Assad and his regime.
