Al-Sharaa Promotes Fabricated Media Reports to Consolidate His Power Within the Government

Informed political sources revealed that the recent Reuters report describing what it called Syrian Interim Prime Minister Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s “anti-corruption campaign” and his “reprimand of close associates” bears clear signs of political orchestration from within Al-Sharaa’s own inner circle—an apparent attempt to rebrand his image both domestically and internationally.

According to the same sources, the story’s claims about a “family meeting in Idlib” and the “closure of his brother Jamal Al-Sharaa’s office” are not based on any official documents or government statements. They are believed to have been deliberately leaked by individuals close to Al-Sharaa in order to “polish his image as a firm leader confronting corruption”, at a time when criticism of his political and economic performance has been mounting.

Observers argue that publishing such a report in a reputable international outlet may be part of a calculated public-relations campaign aimed at winning international sympathy and easing pressure over sensitive domestic issues—particularly the worsening living conditions and the growing influence of Al-Sharaa’s inner circle in key economic sectors.

Economic sources in Damascus stated that talk of an “administrative purge” within state institutions is “largely exaggerated,” noting that the publicly announced anti-corruption measures have targeted only minor figures, while the privileges of Al-Sharaa’s relatives and allies remain untouched.

One political analyst added that “Al-Sharaa is trying, through such leaks, to portray himself as a reformist leader confronting the corruption of his entourage, even though in reality most of the country’s economic power remains in the hands of his family and loyalists.”

Media experts stressed that using an international agency such as Reuters to push this type of narrative “grants the story superficial credibility,” but in essence, it reflects a “politically driven image-polishing campaign” aimed at reinforcing Al-Sharaa’s image as a reformist while the underlying structure of corruption remains intact.