Pro-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pages on social media reported a scandal involving regime officers' theft and sale of military food supplies, a move which has ignited the anger of soldiers and loyalists.
The “We Want to Be Discharged” page run by soldiers from Group 102, which entered its eighth year serving in the Assad ranks, revealed details of the theft of food provisions and confirmed the involvement of officers and non-commissioned officers in the scandal.
The page said that in the middle of last month, a complaint was submitted to the Defense Ministry of the Assad regime about the theft of canned food rations from Assad forces serving in Daraa and its countryside and the unit concentrated on the front lines. The ministry said that it would open an investigation into the matter, according to the page.
The page noted that after the initial complaint, several batches of canned food were sent to make up for the shortage, but another batch did not arrive. The missing supplies were transported in a civilian car to Suweida province to be stored in a warehouse owned by a local trader.
The page said that the reserve soldiers discovered the theft and informed an officer, who in turn informed his commanders. According to the page, a large number of those responsible for the food theft were arrested. It reported that among those who were charged were Maj. Ali Tawfiq Saram, Salim Hassan Nofal and Warrant Officer Rabeea Abdel Karim al-Awar.
The incident met with widespread criticism and discontent from Assad loyalists on social media, and, according to user comments, regime soldiers elsewhere also spoke out against violations and corruption they have witnessed.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
