Arab Socialist Movement

The Arab Socialist Movement traced its roots back to the "Youth Party", a 1930s radical anti-capitalist, pan-Arab group led by Othman al-Hawrani.^[2][1] In its later form, it was formally established as "Arab Socialist Party" in the 1950s, and was led by Akram al-Hawrani from then on.^[1] The party merged with the Ba'ath Party in 1953,^[3] only to withdraw again in 1963.^[4] It then split into several factions:

• One faction, known as Damascus branch^[4] and headed by Abdul-Ghani Qannout, joined the Ba'ath Party-led National Progressive Front government in 1972^[5][6] and has continued to support the al-Assad family's rule in Syria ever since.^[4] It is active in Syria and Lebanon.^[1] 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.^[4] Amid the conflict's civil uprising phase, the Arab Socialist Movement's Damascus branch organised pro-government rallies.^[1] 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 (2014–17), and was wounded in combat.^[1] Al-Alawi later aided^[1] a member of the party's political office, Turki Albu Hamad, in founding the "Forces of the Fighters of the Tribes" militia.^[4] 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.^[1]
• Another splinter group was led by the former officer Abdul-Ghani Ayyash (died 2010), and joined the opposition in form of the National Democratic Rally.^[2]
• 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.^[7]
• Another branch has also gained legal recognition and parliamentary representation in Syria, but under the name "National Covenant Party".^{[citation needed]}

• Akram al-Bunni (2013). An Analysis of the Syrian Left Realities (PDF). Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
• Seale, Patrick (1990). Asad of Syria: The Struggle for the Middle East. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06976-5.