We were delighted to chat with a well-known Twitter user @Souria4Syrians also known as the Nimr Tiger. The interview had to be conducted over text to maintain anonymity. The video and transcript are included here.
- You are famous for trolling jihadi and other groups such as the YPG. Could you tell us about these groups? What “pushes their buttons”/sets them off?
I started this account back in 2015 after I discovered how Twitter was heavily infested with pro-jihadist accounts pushing fake news and agendas on many gullible people who ate the propaganda like candy. I decided something had to be done, and so at the time I joined a small group of Pro-Syria tweeps who were doing an amazing job already.
But this isn’t when things exactly started for me, you see I was beefing with jihadist fanboys way earlier than that, in summer 2012 to be exact, on liveleak and reddit and misc forums, so I had come to learn a few things about these savages, especially things that trigger them in that case I was well prepared when I joined Twitter:
- they hate it when one talks about Syrian minorities. Especially when we say the SAA is made up of all Syrian religious groups and ethnicities. They want people to think that it’s only Alawites who are fighting for Assad.
- they hate it when you challenge their narrative with facts and evidence.
- they hate it when you compare them to ISIS, even though pre 2014 they were allied with ISIS, fighting and dying side by side in many battles. Now they hate it when you compare them to HTS, even though… yup you guessed it; they’re fighting and dying side by side with HTS.
- finally they hate it when we place the ‘red dot of death’ on the faces of their dead combatants.
- What do you think of the Syrian government?
I’m not going to lie to you and say they’re perfect, Syrian gov is far from perfect. However the Syrian government for me means stability and security. Something these jihadists and backers can never achieve in Syria and this is evident in jihadist occupied or previously occupied lands.
Before this conflict, Syria’s GDP was quadruppling under president Bashar Al Assad’s rule up until the events of 2011. There were many reforms and changes taking place and on the way, I guess some people didnt like that.
- What do most Syrian people think of them?
I can’t speak on behalf of hardcore jihadist supporters who seem to only want Assad gone over sectarian reasons, but the majority of Syrians want equality, rights, and opportunities.
So far no proposed alternative can provide that more than the Syrian government. Sadly after 10 years of war and sanctions, even the Syrian government is struggling to to deal with this. Despite that, millions of Syrians continue to support the Syrian gov, it has now become a resistance movement.
- tell us about the role of Turkey, Saudi, US etc?
To keep it simple, they’re all pro-Zionist regimes. US being the head of them all and using them to weaken Arab countries opposed to Israel. Neither Saudi nor Turkey would be allowed to flourish had they not signed some form of deal recognizing Israeli occupation of Palestine and/or their guarantee to never meddle in anyway that might truly threaten Israel.
When it comes to Syria;
Saudi Arabia provided jihadists with the ideology and funding.
Turkey provided jihadists with training and logistics.
US oversaw this entire operation from the start. See: Operation Timber Sycamore.
I highly doubt the US really cared to topple Assad, their purpose was to destroy and divide and weaken the country as much as possible whether Assad is there or not. This was a punishment for resisting Israel and supporting resistance groups.
What I’m saying is, this war could have been prevented if Syria sold out Palestine, and its allies in Lebanon and Iran. But we dont roll like that, death before dishonor.
- Who is the most dangerous for Syria?
I know people say Turkey because they’re currently more active in Syria but to me they’re all a bunch of hyenas. Saudi will return to Syria under guise of countering Iran and/or Turkey at some point in the future. Saudi is already working on an Arab coalition (with US blessing) to do just that, so where do you think the battle ground will be for that coalition? Libya? Iraq? Syria? All of them?
- Tell us about Iran and Russia. What role do they play in supporting Syria? What are their limits?
They’re Syria’s allies. They got involved at the official request from the legitimate UN recognized government of Syria. When 10s of thousands of foreign jihadists flooded into Syria through the Turkish border with no sign of it slowing down and they were funneled towards Syrian cities a decision was made to request Iranian and later Russian support.
In my opinion that was a great decision and should have come sooner, many more lives and cities and ancient artifacts could have been saved.
When jihadist supporters upped the ante, so did Iran and Russia. So limit? There is no limit.
- And how about Hezbollah?
They’re the best. They seem to appear from nowhere, fight, win, and disappear as if they never existed. What’s that all about!!?
- what is the current situation in Syria?
It’s not good. The Country is divided, economy is trashed, Turks and US occupy portions of territory, israel occupies the Golan heights, there are many assassinations in the South (ex jihadist stronghold who reconciled), there are extremist jihadists in the Northwest and separatists in the northeast. The poor got poorer, sanctions prevent any real recovery, and it seems like things are just getting started.
On the bright side there are many projects to resurrect Syria’s economy and repair infrastructure, men working hard in the sun all day doing amazing work. Some of the before and after photos are truly amazing.
There have been major plans to kick start a limited military operation against extremist jihadists in Idlib in order to reopen the M4 highway which is important for Syria’s economy. This mil op has been delayed over political issues, it is still unclear how Turkey will react.
- how will the situation develop in the future?
My personal opinion is this, btw I’ve been wrong before and I hope I’m wrong now: I believe things will get a lot worse, so much worse, at some point this will stop being a proxy war, I believe the next stage (which is planned for the region) is a larger regional war, and I believe everyone is moving in that direction.
You have the Iranian camp
The turkish camp
And saudi camp
With a much anticipated Idlib offensive we may see some escalation.
I just hope I’m alive at the end of it all to celebrate the liberation of the Golan Heights because that’s where any major war in MENA will lead!
- What effects are sanctions having on the people in Syria?
I haven’t been to Syria since COVID19 kicked off around March, but prior to that people were already suffering, I’m talking about the average Syrian civilian, all my family and friends, the elderly, women and children, the sick and suffering chronic illness. Everything is overpriced, inflation has destroyed the Syrian currency and the wages are barely enough to buy necessities. The middle class has been hit hard. Its now rich and poor, there is no inbetween. Did I mention that I haven’t been to Syria since COVID19 kicked off? Since then things are a lot worse now than they were last time I was there. A lot of Syrians send money back home to support their families, myself included. With more sanctions and restriction it’s becoming harder and more expensive. COVID19 makes earning harder too, there is less money to send. So everyone is suffering. Despite all that, the situation in Syria is better compared to what’s happening to the people of Yemen, where signs of starvation are evident. This is where Syria is now heading while our so called Arab neighours watch on, with the newly announced Caesar act sanctions, there is little hope left. Yet Hope is important no matter how little it is, we live in a dynamic and fast changing world. Things could change and nobody could anticipate when or how.
- In your profile description is “proud druze”.
Could you tell us about this group, and other groups and how they fit in with Syrian and levantine society
Druze like all other Syrian and middle east minorities are battle hardened survivalists due to decades of oppression under Ottoman rulers who used these minorities as scapegoats whenever something went wrong.
Ottomans would wage wars and sieges on these groups and we’d just come back bigger and stronger. Some kind of message in there for the US and other powers who think wars and sanctions will break us.
The Syrian army is a great example of what Syria is all about. The SAA is composed of every fabric of Syrian society. At one point during the golden era of Issam Zahredines heroic resistance in Deir Ezzor, we literally saw a Druze defend a Sunni town, a Sunni defend a Alawite town, a Alawite defend a Christian town, a Christian defend a Shia town and so on.
- It seems the conflict in Syria will have effects around the world. For example: it has been the first obvious defeat of the US empire.
What do you think about the future of the region, and what role will the US have in it?
US is in decline, it’s collapse is imminent, I’ve been saying this for years even before recent events. But they’ve prepared for this, by prepared I mean they prepped Israel for what’s coming. In my opinion US wont leave without a fight, and with that it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in the sense that US refusal to withdraw peacefully will only lead to it’s own demise. It’s going to be one hell of a story which even hollywood cant top.
- do you have any tips for other countries and peoples who are facing similar “revolutions” like in Syria?
Research and read and raise awareness, be vigilant and sober. It’s tough, when a powerful superpower like the US wants to destabilize your country, they have a billion tricks to do it. I believe education is the first line of defense. Second line of defense: competent government and leaders.