On February 19, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Antakya: “Journalistic sources in Suwayda confirmed the reports surrounding the recruitment of the children of Suwayda (South) by Russian militias, so that they go fight in Libya alongside the forces of Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. At this level, an exclusive source said to Al-Quds al-Arabi that Russia had indeed started recruiting Suwayda inhabitants to send them to fight in Libya, assuring nonetheless that the number of recruits was “still very low and below the Russians’ expectations,” amid popular rejection of that step. Suwayda 24 network had revealed the involvement of the Syrian National Youth Party, which is licensed by the Syrian regime, in the recruitment process that is taking place with the support of the Russian Wagner militias [original story found in yesterday’s Daily Briefing].

“And it assured that the party’s leader in Suwayda, Shebli ash-Sha’er, was the one coordinating the recruitment operations and making offers to the youth for that end… Speaking to Al-Quds al-Arabi, Editing Director of Suwayda 24 Rayan Maarouf said that Shebli ash-Sha’er started recruiting dozens of youth from Suwayda in 2014, so that they fight alongside the regime’s forces in the Syrian governorates, adding that most of them joined the Tiger Forces led by General Suhail al-Hassan, a.k.a. Tiger. Regarding the recruitment of fighters for Libya, Maarouf mentioned that so far, only 25 recruits showed up to volunteer at the National Youth Party office with their ID papers, and that they were told they must wait until the numbers were complete before being dispatched to Libya. He added: “Most of them are former members of loyalist militias…, who seceded due to the discontinuation of the payment of their salaries.”

“[So, he added:] “The offer to go to Libya was very tempting for them, especially since they have become accustomed to working as mercenaries and selling themselves for money.” Asked how the Suwayda population was dealing with this issue, Maarouf indicated that most of the inhabitants had refused to engage in the Syrian war, viewing it as a civil and sectarian war. So, what would be the case of a war taking place outside their country’s border? He assured at this level: “Naturally, there is wide popular disgruntlement and rejection of the recruitment of mercenaries, and we have learned that religious bodies and local faction leaders warned the party responsible for this recruitment against proceeding with its activities.” And a few days ago, Voice of the Capital network had also carried a report talking about the Russian Army’s recruitment of youth from Duma in Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta to fight in Libya, in the context of militias dubbed “Friends of Russia.”

“The network added that since the beginning of the year, Russia assigned civilian figures affiliated with the Russians and the Syrian intelligence bodies in Duma, to recruit the youth by offering them massive financial incentives in exchange for joining the latter groups... Commenting on that, Syrian journalist Omar al-Benya considered that the recruitment of the Syrians was the inevitable outcome of the deteriorating economic situation, the lack of job opportunities and the closing of the border before the youth. He added to Al-Quds al-Arabi that Russia had put its hands on all the military, economic and cultural pillars of the state, even the youth, with international blessing or silence. And he warned against the threat that this posed to the country’s future…”