Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, now living in exile in Moscow, appears to have accepted his situation, according to sources close to his family. However, some of his inner circle, including his brother Maher, remain unwilling to relinquish power. Two of Assad's former confidants, Major General Kamal Hassan and billionaire Rami Makhlouf, are reportedly vying to build their own militias in coastal Syria and Lebanon. These efforts involve recruiting from the Alawite community, which has traditionally supported the Assad family, and financing tens of thousands of fighters to secure their allegiance.