Putin’s Message to Syria’s Al-Sharaa: A Step Toward Restoring Ties?

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Damascus at the end of January (RT)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Damascus at the end of January (RT)
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Putin’s Message to Syria’s Al-Sharaa: A Step Toward Restoring Ties?

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Damascus at the end of January (RT)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Damascus at the end of January (RT)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message to his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the Kremlin announced on Thursday, underscoring its significance in both timing and content against the backdrop of recent developments in Syria’s coastal regions and mounting challenges to the country's leadership.

The message comes as Damascus navigates efforts to bolster internal stability and expand engagement with regional and international players.

According to the Kremlin, Putin reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Syrian authorities across all sectors.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the message expressed support for the Syrian leadership’s efforts to “swiftly stabilize the situation in the country while ensuring its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.”

Peskov did not specify when Putin sent the message to al-Sharaa or whether it was delivered through an envoy. However, his remarks during a daily briefing suggested Putin had sent it on Wednesday.

The letter carried a notable phrasing, reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to “developing practical cooperation with the Syrian leadership across the full spectrum of bilateral issues to further strengthen the traditionally friendly Russian-Syrian relations.”

While the message underscored Putin’s intent to recalibrate ties and establish serious, “practical” cooperation with Damascus, its timing was equally significant.

It followed Syria’s success in containing the fallout from recent unrest in coastal regions—an event that had sparked allegations, albeit indirect, that Moscow had either supported or turned a blind eye to a military move by remnants of the ousted regime.

These claims were fueled by reports that dozens of former Syrian officers had sought refuge in Russia after Bashar al-Assad’s government was toppled.

Russia has not officially responded to allegations that it played a role in recent unrest in Syria’s coastal region.

The Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry have limited their statements to expressing “serious concern” over the turmoil, which later led to arrests and targeted killings of civilians.

A Russian diplomatic source previously told Asharq Al-Awsat that Moscow had no involvement in the events and stressed that Russian authorities do not support any actions that could undermine stability in Syria.

Against this backdrop, Putin’s message appears “deliberate in both tone and timing,” signaling Moscow’s intent to reset ties and usher in a new phase of cooperation aligned with the interests of both sides.



Sweida Clashes Renew Debate Over Tribal Alliances and Kurdish Forces in Syria

Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
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Sweida Clashes Renew Debate Over Tribal Alliances and Kurdish Forces in Syria

Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 
Fighters from the Bedouin clans in the city of Sweida on Saturday (AFP) 

The recent violent clashes in Sweida between local Druze factions and pro-government Bedouin tribes have reignited concerns over the stability of tribal alliances across Syria. As Arab tribes rallied to support the Bedouins, speculation mounted that a similar tribal uprising could erupt in eastern and northern Syria, where US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) maintain a stronghold.

The fear of a broader tribal insurgency grew after thousands of tribal fighters reportedly mobilized toward the Sweida front from provinces such as Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor, and Raqqa, areas that remain divided between the SDF, a Kurdish-Arab coalition, and the Syrian government.

However, Sheikh Maan Hamidi Daham al-Jarba, head of the Shammar tribe, dismissed the possibility of the Sweida scenario repeating itself in northeastern Syria.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he praised the SDF and its commander, General Mazloum Abdi, for achieving what he called “historic political balances and understandings” during a highly sensitive phase. The Shammar’s military wing, the Sanadid Forces - numbering between 7,000 and 10,000 fighters - have been key SDF partners since 2013, operating primarily along Syria’s eastern border with Iraq.

The SDF, established in 2015, introduced itself as a unified national military force representing Arabs, Kurds, Syriacs, and other communities in Syria. Earlier this year, its commander, Abdi, signed a landmark agreement with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to integrate the SDF and its civilian administration into the Ministry of Defense and national institutions by the end of 2025.

Bedir Mulla Rashid, a Kurdish affairs analyst at the Raman Center for Research, noted that the SDF’s power base has long rested on alliances with Arab tribal councils. While he acknowledged that the Sweida events could shake dynamics in the northeast, he ruled out an imminent tribal uprising. He emphasized ongoing US efforts to stabilize the region, partial sanctions relief, and a peace process between Türkiye and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as factors discouraging escalation.

“There is no equivalent to the Sweida factions in the northeast,” Rashid said. “Nor is there a regional power willing to fuel a confrontation with the SDF, especially as Türkiye is currently focused on internal reconciliation with the Kurds.”

In regions like al-Jazira and the Euphrates, tribal divisions have deepened over the course of Syria’s conflict. Last summer, tribal infighting erupted in deadly clashes. Yet, figures like Akram Mahshoush al-Zoubaa, head of the Elders Council within the Autonomous Administration and adviser to the Jabour tribe, remain adamant that the recent unrest should not be viewed as a model for the east.

“These movements do not reflect the values of Arab tribes,” al-Zoubaa said. “The SDF represents all components of society, despite ongoing efforts by various actors to sow division.”