Maher Al-Assad and Ali Mamlouk Fled to a Regional State
The Saudi newspaper “Okaz” revealed that Major General Ali Mamlouk, the former head of Syrian
National Security, fled to a regional state just an hour after the ousted President Bashar Al-Assad
escaped. The sources, described by the newspaper as informed, stated that Mamlouk did not take
anyone from his private office with him, except for his family and some close relatives.
Ali Mamlouk, born in Damascus in 1949, is known as an intelligence officer close to Assad,
originating from a family supportive of the regime. He was appointed head of the Syrian General
Intelligence Directorate in 2005 and led the suppression of the Syrian uprising that started in
2011. Mamlouk faces Western sanctions for charges related to committing crimes against
humanity, including accusations from Paris, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is
conducting an investigation into his role in the torture and murder of an American-Syrian
activist.
Where is Maher Al-Assad?
So far, the destination Maher Al-Assad, Bashar Al-Assad’s younger brother, headed to remains
unclear, but sources within the Syrian opposition have indicated that he left the country abruptly
following his brother’s escape. The source mentioned that Maher left behind many documents
related to the Fourth Division. In this regard, Baghdad has denied Maher Al-Assad’s presence in
Iraqi territory, with the Iraqi Interior Ministry’s spokesperson stating that reports of his presence
in Iraq are false.
Mamlouk’s Escape to Iraq?
“Okaz” did not mention the state to which Ali Mamlouk fled, but according to journalistic sources, it is believed that both Mamlouk and his younger brother reached the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq near the Iranian border. Reports suggest that they held intensive meetings there with officers from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Sources also reported that Mamlouk legally entered Lebanon and later left via Rafic Hariri
International Airport. Reports indicate that the night of December 8th, which saw the opposition
entering Damascus and the regime’s collapse, was filled with chaos within the Syrian security
institutions. Only a few security officials managed to leave the country, including Kifah Melhem,
who was appointed by Assad as Mamlouk’s successor last summer.
Disappearance of Eyad Makhlouf
On another note, Lebanese sources mentioned that Colonel Eyad Makhlouf, brother of
businessman Rami Makhlouf and Assad’s cousin, fled to Beirut with his family following the fall of
the Syrian regime. The sources clarified that Eyad is currently residing in an apartment in Beirut
owned by his mother-in-law, Noura Nazam Al-Din, with the intent to mislead. It is suggested that
this house might be a hideout for several members of the Assad family, possibly under the
protection of Hezbollah elements.
It was also reported that a convoy including the brothers Eyhab and Eyad Makhlouf was attacked
in the Bekaa region while heading from Damascus to Beirut, resulting in Eyhab’s death and
injuries to Eyad and their mother.
Syrian Military and Armed Groups Deployment on the Iraqi Border
