Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa Apologizes to Deir Ez-Zor After Father Hussein Remarks Spark Anger

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa apologized to residents of Deir ez-Zor province after remarks by his father, Hussein al-Sharaa, sparked widespread anger in the province.

“Social media platforms in Syria reacted to the apology of President أحمد الشرع following the remarks issued by his father, Dr”

Al-Jazeera Net

The apology followed a controversy that erupted after a clip circulated online from a media interview in which Hussein al-Sharaa said, “The Shawaya are gentler and more civilized than the Dairis,” drawing criticism particularly within Deir ez-Zor.

Al-Jazeera Net

Syrian media reported that al-Sharaa held a phone call with the governor of Deir ez-Zor to convey his official apology, stressing that the remarks were “inappropriate” and did not reflect his position toward the people of the province.

During the video call, al-Sharaa said, “Those words hurt me before they hurt you … I apologize to you,” and added that his father’s comments were a “slip” for which he apologized on his behalf.

The backlash included a protest gathering in the city where participants demanded a clear apology for the statements, while Hussein al-Sharaa later published a clarification on his Facebook page saying the clip had been “taken out of context.”

Rudaw.net reported that Ahmed al-Sharaa apologized after Hussein al-Sharaa told Asharq News that the people of the oil-rich Deir ez-Zor province are “barbaric” and “loud-voiced,” and that the Shawaya are “better than the people of Deir ez-Zor, who have neither understanding nor education.”

Rudaw.net also said Hussein al-Sharaa later claimed in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday that his interview had been manipulated, adding, “This was altered during editing,” he said.

Haberler

In the phone call, Ahmed al-Sharaa told Deir ez-Zor officials and tribal figures, “There was a slip in the interview and some remarks were taken out of context. We apologize for this slip on behalf of our father,” according to Rudaw.net.

The Media Line quoted Syrian journalist Musab al-Saud saying the apology was “worthy of the people of Deir ez-Zor,” while also calling for accountability for the media outlet that aired the interview.

The Media Line further reported that Musab al-Saud urged Syria’s information minister to review editorial oversight mechanisms, arguing the incident represented “a repeated violation of the media code of conduct” previously announced by the ministry.

Beyond the apology, the controversy raised questions about the media outlet that aired the interview and whether journalists should have intervened when potentially inflammatory or divisive language was used during the conversation.

“ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has apologized to the people of Deir ez-Zor after controversial remarks by his father sparked outrage among residents and on social media”

rudaw.net

The Media Line described analysts noting that prerecorded media content is typically subject to editorial review before publication, raising questions about why the controversial segment was left intact despite its potentially inflammatory implications.

In parallel, Sky News Arabia reported that during the phone call al-Shara’ told the Deir ez-Zor governor and several dignitaries that the people of Deir ez-Zor enjoy a high standing among all Syrians, stressing that “the people of Deir are our beloveds, our pride, and a crown on our heads.”

Sky News Arabia also said the Syrian president spoke of a package of development projects being prepared to support the province, including hospitals, bridges, and investments aimed at moving the wheels of the economy and development.

Al-Shara’ also reiterated that what happened “perhaps was a slip or the result of taking some phrases out of context in the interview,” offering an apology on behalf of his father and on behalf of the province’s people, while Hussein al-Shara’ posted that his remarks “were taken out of context during editing.”