The Struggle for Power in Syria: Politics and Society under Asad and Ba'th Party

While the militias were critical in providing manpower and organizational capacity to enable the Syrian regime to undertake its military operations, this was still not a sufficient strategy on its own to preserve Assad's power, since the recruits were localized in Syria alone.

“While the militias were critical in providing the manpower and organizational capacity to enable the Syrian regime to undertake its military operations, 87 it was still not a suf fi cient strategy on its own to preserve Assad ' s power, since the recruits were localized in Syria alone.”

The northwestern governorate of Latakia profited significantly from developmental measures, and approximately 75% of the Alawi population hail from it.

“One notable example of a region that profited significantly from developmental measures is the northwestern governorate of Latakia, from which approximately 75% of the Alawi population hail (Van Dam, 2011: 9).”

The southern region of Hawran, the countryside around Aleppo, and the northeastern area of Deir az-Zor all profited from the Ba'athist regime's redistribution strategy.

“Similarly, the southern region of Hawran (including the provincial town of Dar'a), the countryside around Aleppo, and the northeastern area of Deir az-Zor all profited from the Ba'athist regime's redistribution strategy (Perthes, 1997: 183; for detailed figures see Van Dam, 2011).”