In a new escalation between him and the regime of his cousin, Bashar al-Assad, Syrian businessman Rami Makhlouf threatened that he would take what he described as critical escalatory measures in the coming days if laws and regulations were not applied to his fairness, as he put it.

In a post on his Facebook page, Makhlouf, 51, did not explain what actions he would take, but referred to what he described as invisible hands that dared to own his property.

Ibn Khale, the head of the Syrian regime, drew attention to a series of measures taken by the authorities in seizing his money and that of his wife and children, and imposing payment of 134 billion Syrian pounds (about $ 67 million) in taxes on his Syriatel company.

Makhlouf said that these measures will lead to the bankruptcy of the company Syriatel, stressing that he will not accept this matter.

After staying out of the limelight for years, Makhlouf went out of his silence with data and two videos on his Facebook page that exposed the tension between him and his cousin, Bashar al-Assad, in a battle that analysts expected would have severe consequences for him.

The beginning of the crisis

The crisis has been escalating since Makhlouf posted a video on Facebook on April 30th, followed by two others in May, in which he said that he paid what he owed the government, including 12 billion Syrian pounds of taxes last year. He asked Assad to appoint someone to verify his statement.

During a video clip published on May 17, Makhlouf indicated that the measures taken against him and against Syriatel will only destroy one of the few profitable companies still present in the country, and he said that it employs more than 6500 people, and has more than 11 million Subscriber, and provides more than half of its profits taxes.

While Assad, 54, remained silent on the issue, the government prevented Makhlouf from traveling, arrested his senior staff, and confiscated his property and the assets of his wife and children.

Makhlouf was seen as one of the pillars of the Syrian regime economically. The United States and the European Union impose severe sanctions on him for his relationship with the Assad regime and as close people who have benefited from the general corruption of regime officials.

Makhlouf's crisis began when the Syrian authorities placed their hands in the summer of 2019 on the "Al-Bustan Association" that he heads, which formed the "human front" for his actions during the years of the conflict, and armed groups linked to them also dissolved.

Last December, the government issued a series of decisions to reserve the movable and immovable funds of a number of businessmen, including Makhlouf and his wife. They were charged with tax evasion and unlawful profits during the 2011 war.

Media reports also talked about the role of the names of Assad's wife in the confrontation between the regime and Makhlouf.