Twelver Shi‘a, whether native Syrian or of foreign origin, constitute only a small minority of the Syrian population. Since the fall of the Assad regime, some of them have left for exile in Lebanon and elsewhere, but others have stayed. Today’s interviewee is a friend I have known for around nine years. A native Syrian Shi‘i of the Damascus area and a hairdresser by profession, he initially served in the Iranian-backed formation al-Ghalibun before moving to Lebanon for work. He then returned to Syria and enlisted in the regular army, where he officially remained in reserve service until the fall of the regime. He remains in Syria today.
Q: When did you first bear arms and with which formation did you work and for what arms?
A: In the army I did not bear arms because my service was in postal correspondence, and I did not do regular hours because I would pay money. When I was in al-Ghalibun, there was no work in the country. I went and worked as a driver with them for a month and they did not give me a salary, and so I stopped working with them. Just this: I did not fight with anyone and I did not go to the fighting fronts. Then I traveled to Lebanon for work if you remember.
Q: Yes. Can you mention some stories from the days of al-Ghalibun? For example was there corruption in the formation?
When I was in al-Ghalibun, there was no work in the country. I went and worked as a driver with them for a month and they did not give me a salary, and so I stopped working with them.
A: Yes of course: the salaries were stolen by the leaders, even the food was stolen. This is what I remember.
Q: Oh dear. So Abu al-Meqdad stole the salaries?
A: I told you some time ago that they stole everything: whether he was responsible or not, I don’t know. But some guy suddenly bought a house and he shared accommodation with me and bought some things. They were all criminals in all the formations that arose and failed. Even in the army, food, money and clothes would be stolen: everything.
Q: Was al-Ghalibun really supported by the Iranians?
A: Yes of course.
Q: Were there promises of regularization of status when you joined al-Ghalibun? And for what reasons you chose to work with them?
A: Supposedly I would not have to go to the army. It turned out to be a lie. I don’t know [why I chose them] I had my friend whom they gave a salary. There was no risk for us to work with them because of military service: we would not have to go and serve in the army.
Q: And you served in the army from 2018? In which areas did you serve and what was the salary? Did they not ever discharge you?
A: I served in al-Sham [Damascus area] and would pay money. The army salaries were eventually 300,000 Syrian pounds: i.e. $20 per month. They did not discharge us. The revolution is what discharged us after the tyrant fell.
Q: So when the regime fell did they consider you to be performing compulsory or reserve service?
A: Reserve service: reserve service against one’s will.
Q: And you would pay bribes so as not to perform work days?
A: Yes of course. I got fed up and would pay. Even when I asked you for money, I would do so in order to pay to be let go. If I did not pay, they would not let me go.
Q: Officially was there not a system of work days?
A: No. The situation was crap, frankly. But God is your trustee, now there is no work, nor is there money, and the [economic] situation is currently very bad. There is no work at all. We are begging for money.
Q: Did they not have in the army a specific number of days of service and a specific number of days for leave permit?
A: Yes, there was this sort of thing, but the one who paid bribes got more time off.
Q: And during the days of service what was your opinion on Bashar al-Assad and the armed opposition, particularly since you are from a religious minority (the Shi‘a)?
Bashar was a liar and criminal and those who opposed him would be killed or enter prison and not return. For a long time he would tell people: Da‘esh is coming and they will slaughter you, and he would deceive people.
A: Bashar was a liar and criminal and those who opposed him would be killed or enter prison and not return. For a long time he would tell people: Da‘esh [Islamic State] is coming and they will slaughter you, and he would deceive people. He would discriminate between religions, and thus many problems arose. Now the situation is better, and people have come to love each other again.
Q: But didn’t you fear for yourself seeing as you are Shi‘i?
A: No. Because when whey entered Aleppo and then the areas and provinces began to be liberated, they would not kill anyone. They entered peacefully and gave people security. But those who had blood on their hands were shabiha and would be held to account. We say: God willing, the situation will get better, and God willing, things will be put right for the country. God willing, the people will become one hand. But now there is some sectarianism, but not in Damascus. In Homs there is some sectarianism. Thus we have been hearing but we have not seen anything.
Q: And what’s your view of Hezbollah and the ‘axis of resistance’?
A: I have no answer. I don’t know because we no longer know who is right and who is wrong. We no longer know who is truthful and who is a liar.
Q: But have you felt that the axis has died with the fall of the Assad regime?
A: Of course. Enough, I will forget it. There is longer such a thing. Assad is a donkey who only cared for his chair and interest and robbed the people.
Q: Finally what do you think of the Israeli incursion in the south? Must it be fought?
A: They should do conciliation with Israel so Syria’s situation can be put in order and the country can be rebuilt. If they do conciliation with Israel, Israel will go back to its areas and the people will live again.
