Syrian businessman Rami Makhlouf, the cousin of deposed leader Bashar Assad, on Sunday issued a scathing attack on former Brig. Gen. Ghiyath Dalla, an officer in the Fourth Division, accusing him of sparking recent unrest in Syria’s coastal region and exploiting civilians for his own benefit.

In his first public statement on social media since the Assad regime’s fall last December, Makhlouf sharply criticized officers of the Fourth Division, particularly Dalla, saying he is behind the clashes with security forces in recent days.

“What have you done to our people, Ghiyath Dalla? What did you do with the head of military intelligence and the civilians around you? Why did you involve these innocent civilians in this affair with you and exploited their need for money?” he wrote.

He also condemned his cousin, Assad, saying: “Haven’t you, Mr. Fleeing President, already destroyed the country, divided it, ruined its army and economy, starved its people, and fled with money that, if distributed, would have ensured no one went hungry or poor?”

Makhlouf said many civilians had lost their lives in the region during operations by security forces and held Dalla responsible for inciting the events.

In recent days, the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus have seen coordinated attacks by supporters of the ousted Assad regime. These attacks – described as the most severe since the regime’s fall in December – targeted security patrols, checkpoints, and hospitals, resulting in deaths and injuries.

In response, security and military forces launched sweeping operations to track down the attackers, leading to fierce clashes.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period on Jan. 29.