Embed

Amnesty in Wartime

Assad Pardons Former Syrian Militants

On several occasions since 2011, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has offered amnesty to anti-government militants who lay down their arms. Amnesties are usually offered to former combatants after a conflict ends, in Syria though they’re being granted as the war rages on. Men who haven’t completed their mandatory military service, are returned to the Army and serve in special “Amnestied groups” where they will fight with the government forces they once opposed.

Related: Life in Syria's capital through the lens of a local cameraman

Each has his own story about how he came to be offered amnesty. Some joined the armed opposition voluntarily, others say they were kidnapped and forced to cooperate. Some used to serve in the army but went AWOL due to circumstances beyond their control and were classified as deserters. 

Since the start of the war in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad has offered regular amnesties to rebel fighters and deserters. However, they must complete their military service in special Syrian Army units for amnestied fighters.

Several are concerned about relatives who are fighting with one of the many militant factions. With such diverse backgrounds, some of the soldiers find it hard to trust each other completely, not knowing what side their comrades-in-arms are really on or what they may have done in the past.

Related: Kurdish women who fight ISIS - RT Doc spends three weeks in a YPJ training camp

What they all have in common is that they have been deeply affected by the war: they have lost homes and family members; and each one has a tragic story to tell. They all insist they are either victims or witnesses of war crimes but never the perpetrators. They sing patriotic songs and swear allegiance to Assad. 

Amnestied Syrian fighters may have fought on different sides in a complex war involving over one hundred rebel groups. They find it hard to trust each other with the stories of their past but develop a camaraderie based on their choice to fight for their homeland.

Enlisting the amnestied remains controversial in Syria but the soldiers themselves say they’re happy to be given a second chance even if it means continuing to risk their lives in action, this time on the government’s side.

The young men have lived through harrowing experiences, often involving loved ones. The number one concern of the amnestied Syrian fighters is the safety of their families.

Subscribe to get stories the mainstream media ignores: Subscribe RTD's Youtube

WATCH TRAILER
Please rate this film

9.21(14 users)

Published: 08 August 2016 00:00

Duration

27:37

Tags
Watch this film in Russian

don't miss

26:33
Crime and Terrorism 08 February 2019 00:30

Where Childhood Died. Former Syrian child soldiers and their emotional scars

26:33
Crime and Terrorism 02 September 2015 00:00

ISIS vs Christ. Relatives of the terrorists’ victims pray for their killers

26:33
Military and War 10 July 2017 00:00

War as a Working Place. Syrian reporters risk death to bring news from the frontlines

26:33
Military and War 18 January 2017 00:00

Unbroken in Syria. Syrian veterans seeing past their injuries to a better life

26:33
Society 28 February 2018 00:00

Sex, Drugs & Refugees. Syrian teenagers in Athens resort to prostitution to survive

26:33
Arts and Culture 15 February 2019 00:30

Syrian Tango. Art and Dance reviving Syria's soul

26:33
Military and War 31 August 2020 20:00

Orphaned by ISIS. After ISIS: Bringing the children home

26:33
Crime and Terrorism 26 May 2021 17:00

Syria. The Story of One Tragedy . Leith - a boy whose entire family was killed before his eyes

26:33
Crime and Terrorism 08 September 2023 12:00

Lost Souls. Terrorists exploit religion to poach new recruits

26:33
Personalities 16 October 2018 00:31

Eternal . In memory of Khaled Alkhateb, RT war reporter

26:33
Politics 29 March 2012 00:00

Spring forever

26:33
Religion 19 August 2013 00:00

The Way of The Cross. Egypt’s Coptic Christians under pressure after the Arab Spring

26:33
Personalities 24 June 2019 00:42

Fisher of Men. Tunisian man gives hundreds of unknown migrants a decent burial

26:33
Investigation 25 March 2020 13:20

Desperate Straits. Corrupt reality of the refugee crisis in Italy

26:33
Society 16 May 2016 00:00

Zabbaleen: Trash Town. A whole community in Egypt that lives on rubbish

26:33
Investigation 19 April 2023 12:00

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Rise of the Caliphate. How jihadists exploited the collapse of Yugoslavia

26:33
Investigation 25 July 2016 00:00

Game of Drones. A new type of war crime that’s going unpunished

26:33
Crime and Terrorism 16 August 2017 00:00

Battle For Marawi. Civilians suffer while army battles ISIS militants in Philippines

26:33
Military and War 25 June 2018 00:00

Mine Country. Civilian sappers risk their lives to clear ISIS mines in Libya

26:33
Military and War 27 February 2019 00:58

Crisis Childhood . Sold out to ISIS: Filipino child soldiers

VIEWER’S CHOICE: 1,000,000 VIEWS AND MORE

VIEW ALL