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Shabeeha (also spelled Shabiha or Shabbiha) (Template:Lang-ar) (from the root Template:Lang-ar "ghost") have been described as "a notorious Alawite paramilitary, who are accused of acting as unofficial enforcers for Assad’s regime"; "gunmen loyal to Assad"; "semi-criminal gangs comprised of thugs close to the regime.”
History
The Shabeeha was started by the late president Hafez Assad's nephews (Fawaz, Numir, Munther, Sumar, Siwar, Munther) and was mainly involved in smuggling goods from Turkey or Lebanon to Syria in the 90's, goods such as motor vehicles (stolen from Lebanon), cigaretts, electronics, arms, gasoline and diesel. The police turned a blind eye, and in return Shabbiha would act as a shadow militia in case of need.
Around 2008, a major figure in the shabiha, "Numir Alassad," a cousin of Bashar Assad, was involved in armed robbery of a major currency exchange office in Damascus and was caught on tape. He was not arrested.
In 2011, the Shabeeha became relevant again when they began attacking and killing protesters during the 2011 Syrian uprising. Witnesses and refugees from the northwestern region say that the shabbiha have reemerged during the uprising and in June were being used by the Syrian government to carry out "a scorched earthed campaign burning crops, ransacking houses and shooting randomly." In April, Wissam Tarif, director of the human rights group Insan, said the Shabbiha was operating in Homs, and an anonymous witness said they were to blame for some of the 21 deaths there over the course of two days. Some reports pointed to Shabeeha being involved in serious crimes in Homs such as raping women (see below). Shabiha were also involved in fighting and assaulting un armed protesters in damascus neighberhood of Midan each friday after Jumm'a prayer.
References
- Assad’s Devious, Cruel Plan to Stay in Power By Dividing Syria—And Why It’s Working| Oliver Holmes | August 15, 2011
- reuters Analysis: Assad retrenches into Alawite power base
- Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies Analysis: Assad retrenches into Alawite power base
- Video of Numir Assad armed robbery
- syria revolt, wordpress. who are the shabiha "who are the shabeeha".
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - staff, staff special to world tribune. "Syrian militia, led by Assad's first cousins, firing heavy weapons against protesters".
- Gul, Gul Tuysuz (21 June 2011). "Syrian men promise to marry women who were raped". The Washington Post.
who are the shabiha who leads the shabiha women raped in syria by shabiha
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