DAMASCUS/ISTANBUL

A billionaire cousin of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday criticized calls by loyalist religious leader Ghazal Ghazal for federalism in Syria during recent protests in the country.

"Unfortunately, some people are leading us down a very dangerous path; a path of no return. We are being dragged into things that Alawites should never be involved in," Rami Makhlouf said on US social media platform Facebook.

Makhlouf, whose whereabouts are not known since Assad’s ouster, called on Syrians to remain calm and stay in their homes.

“What was the result? Some people came out. For example, Sheikh Ghazal appeared with his chest bare. So what does this mean? Should we all perish today, for what? For federalism?” he said.

"Today we are talking about federalism, but it is clear that federalism is worthless without a force to protect us,” Makhlouf added.

Protests broke out in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus and some other provinces on Dec. 28 after a call by Ghazal, who is known for close ties to the defunct Baathist regime, after a deadly mosque attack in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Homs on Friday that killed eight people and injured scores.

In statements following the attack, he urged supporters to demand “political federalism and international protection.”

The new Syrian administration is working to tighten security conditions nationwide and to pursue remnants of the former regime accused of stirring security unrest.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.