SYRIA: Rami Makhlouf again pleads with Assad via social media as regime continues process to collapse his business empire

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) – Embattled Syrian billionaire and cousin of President of Bashar al-Assad Rami Makhlouf has once again taken to social media seeking relief from governmental pressure to hand over the assets of his companies. In a post to his Facebook page, Makhlouf pleaded to God and complained about the injustice he was exposed to by the ruling regime. The same day, reports revealed the dismissal of the Syrian Minister of Trade and Consumer Protection, Atef al-Naddaf, due to his issuing of a decision at the behest of Makhlouf’s father.

The business empire of Rami Makhlouf, the main financier of the Syrian regime for decades, has been shaken by the regime’s debts to Russia. His recently unsteady relationship with President Assad, who is battling to fully restore his authority and revive his economy after almost ten years of war, has been revealed in public.

The cause of the rift is speculated to be both political and financial. Makhlouf, though not a popular figure, is a powerful one, and a potential political rival to Assad. As the economy crumbles, the coronavirus spreads, and Russia pressures Assad to make political concessions with the autonomous northeast and the areas occupied by Turkey, Makhlouf may be seen as an alternative head of state to some.

Russia is also pressuring the Syrian regime to pay the costs of its military intervention. It has been previously speculated that the seizure of Makhlouf’s assets comes at the behest of Russia.

In his Facebook post, Makhlouf hinted that “injustice has exceeded his capacity”, after the measures taken by the Syrian authorities against his companies in the country. Meanwhile, senior board members of MTN, owned by South African MTN Group and Syria’s second largest telecom company, have resigned recently.

In related news, President Assad dismissed the Minister of Trade and Consumer Protection, Atef al-Naddaf, on Monday after al-Naddaf issued an economic decision on behalf of the Makhlouf family. Assad appointed the governor of Homs, Talal al-Barazi, to the position. It was reported that the al-Naddaf prevented Takamul Corporation from interfering with the distribution of bread via smart cards in the regime’s control areas at the request of Muhammad Makhlouf, Rami’s father.

One of the largest shareholders of Takamul is a close relative to Syrian First Lady Asma al-Assad.