Arab Socialist Movement

History

• One faction, known as Damascus branch and headed by Abdul-Ghani Qannout, joined the Ba'ath Party-led National Progressive Front government in 1972 and has continued to support the al-Assad family's rule in Syria ever since. It is active in Syria and Lebanon. After Abdul-Ghani Qannout died in 2001, Ahmad al-Ahmad became the new secretary general; under him, the party continued its pro-government course, even during the Syrian Civil War. Amid the conflict's civil uprising phase, the Arab Socialist Movement's Damascus branch organised pro-government rallies. When the uprising escalated into a full insurgency, members of the party organised pro-government militias. Assistant secretary general Omar Adnan al-Alawi headed the National Defence Forces' Deir ez-Zor branch during part of the Siege of Deir ez-Zor, and was wounded in combat. Al-Alawi later aided a member of the party's political office, Turki Albu Hamad, in founding the "Forces of the Fighters of the Tribes" militia. Ahmad al-Ahmad died on 25 August 2016, leaving the office of secretary general vacant until the election of Omar al-Alawi as official party head on 24 May 2017.
• Another splinter group was led by the former officer Abdul-Ghani Ayyash, and joined the opposition in form of the National Democratic Rally.
• One faction of Marxists, led by Akram al-Bunni, split off and formed the "National Council of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change", which was suppressed by the Assad government.
• Another branch has also gained legal recognition and parliamentary representation in Syria, but under the name "National Vow Movement".