Recently, the Syrian government announced the arrest of Mihrac Ural/Ali Kayali, a Turkish-born Alawite who led the ‘Syrian Resistance’, also called the ‘Popular Front for the Liberation of Sanjak of Alexandretta.’ While fighting in support of the Assad regime, his militia also claimed to be working to restore the Hatay region of southern Turkey to Syrian control. In this post I will detail his rise and fall and share some experiences of my interactions with him, and assess what his arrest symbolises and the overall role of his group during the war.
Announcement by Syrian state channel al-Ikhbariah about Ural being in state custody. The photo is definitely of Ural.