(Guardian-UK) Hassan Hassan - Nawaf al-Fares, the Syrian envoy in Iraq who defected this month, leads a powerful clan, part of the Egaidat tribal confederation with at least 1.5 million members across 40% of Syria's territory. The Shammar confederation has at least one million members in Syria. The Jubour has a presence in eastern Syria and Iraq and sustains strong relations with relatives in the Gulf. The Eniza is another prominent Gulf tribal confederation with numerous members in Syria. The N'eim is the prominent tribal confederation in Deraa, with a considerable number in Homs, and a strong presence in the Gulf. Some top leaders of the Free Syrian Army come from this tribe. The Baggara is a prominent tribe in both Iraq and Syria (approximately 1.2 million). Tribal leaders who openly opposed the Assad regime have become a source of pride to their tribes. Members of the tribes are organizing themselves and have certain expectations when the regime falls. But there are also historical rifts and rivalries between and within the tribes.
2012-07-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive