Armed clashes and mutual shelling have returned to As-Suwayda province after two days of cessation, due to an agreement signed by the government with the elders of the Druze community in the province and local actors.
The village of al-Tha’la in the western countryside of As-Suwayda was shelled with mortar rounds late on the night of Sunday, May 4, along with bursts of heavy machine gun fire.
The local network “Suwayda 24” reported today, Monday, May 5, that the shelling that struck the village of al-Tha’la originated from the western side of the town, followed by clashes between local factions stationed on the town’s outskirts and others that attacked the area.
The confrontations caused partial displacement of residents from the village of al-Dara in the western province due to the falling of mortars from heavy machine guns on the village.
The Men of Dignity Movement, the largest military faction in As-Suwayda, released a video showing armed clashes and stated that it was their cadres’ activity to respond to the sources of fire near the village of al-Tha’la.
In a separate post on Facebook, the movement said that civilian homes in the village of al-Tha’la were subjected to random shelling with several mortar rounds.
They added that their field units engaged with the sources of fire and sent reinforcements to the area to support advanced positions.
For its part, the local page “al-Raased” mentioned that the government began to implement the agreement related to activating the work of the Ministry of Interior and General Security Service in As-Suwayda, allowing the police to enter the village of al-Soura on Sunday.
Simultaneously with the start of the agreement’s implementation, video recordings and audio messages circulated widely discussing the siege of As-Suwayda against tribal neighborhoods and attempts to burn mosques, followed by “mobilizations” from groups in the eastern countryside of Daraa, which al-Raased reported as “not from the people of Daraa.”
Despite repeated denials of the rumors by local media, dignitaries, and mosque elders, factions from the eastern countryside of Daraa gathered and started shelling the village of al-Tha’la, prompting local factions to respond to the sources of fire.
No party has claimed responsibility for the attack up to the moment this news was drafted.
Two days ago, As-Suwayda’s governor, Mustafa al-Bakour, stated that the agreement between the dignitaries of As-Suwayda and the government is still valid, and its provisions will be implemented successively, according to what was reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The spiritual presidency of the Druze community, led by Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, stated that the meeting held, attended by Sheikh al-Hijri, the two Sheikhs of the mind, Youssef al-Jarbou’ and Hamoud al-Hanawi, Prince Hassan al-Atrash, Prince Yahya Amer, Mr. Atef Hanidi, and representatives from the military factions, will have its provisions implemented successively.
The statement emphasized a group of provisions which are:
Activate the internal security forces (police) from the members of the internal security previously, and activate the judicial authority from the cadres of As-Suwayda province exclusively, and immediately. Lift the siege on As-Suwayda, Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiat Sahnaya, and restore life to normalcy immediately. Secure the road between Damascus and As-Suwayda and guarantee its safety and security, under the responsibility of the authority, and immediately. Cease fire in all areas. Any statement contrary to or exceeding these provisions is considered a unilateral declaration.The military attack that targeted the western countryside of As-Suwayda constituted a violation of the fourth provision of the agreement that stipulated a halt to attacks immediately, as general security forces from the Ministry of Interior are deployed in the areas from which the attack originated.
The Syrian government has not commented on the confrontations that the province witnessed up to the moment this news was drafted.
Clashes return to As-Suwayda… Agreement with Damascus continues Enab Baladi.
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