By Ihsan Muhammad
DARRA, Syria (North Press)— Syrian government forces have recently removed several checkpoints and military posts in Daraa al-Balad, southern Syria, but the reason behind this removal remains unknown.
About two weeks ago, government forces evacuated some of their key checkpoints in Daraa al-Balad, in the city of Daraa. “Government forces withdrew their soldiers from a checkpoint beside a post office located in the center of Daraa al-Balad,” an eyewitness told North Press.
He further stated that government forces had evacuated a total of five checkpoints in the past week. These include the checkpoints located at al-Quneitra School, al-Qibba, al-Bihar Cemetery, al-Manshiya Gas Station, and the post office in central Daraa al-Balad.
Government forces have established a new checkpoint at the crossroads near the village of al-Zabayer in the Lajat area of eastern Daraa. In addition, they have set up earthen berms around the checkpoint.
Government forces have also reinforced the checkpoint at the outskirts of the village of Hosh Hammad in the eastern part of Lajat area in the eastern countryside Daraa.
A new checkpoint has been established on the dirt road connecting the towns of Jassem and Nawa in western Daraa, and armored vehicles have been stationed at the checkpoint.
Additionally, a new checkpoint was established on Thursday, and soldiers have been deployed to occupy several empty civilian homes in the city center of Daraa.
Government forces also removed the military checkpoint located on the road connecting the towns of Kafr Shams and Kafr Nasij in northern Daraa, according to eyewitnesses.
Protection of Soldiers
A former leader in the Syrian opposition, speaking not for attribution, told North Press that “the security situation in Daraa has been a contributing factor to the removal of checkpoints from Daraa al-Balad, as soldiers stationed at these checkpoints have been repeatedly targeted with killings and kidnappings.”
Unidentified gunmen have recently surrounded soldiers stationed at the al-Quneitra School checkpoint in Daraa al-Balad. They proceeded to rob the soldiers of their weapons before leaving the checkpoint.
The former opposition leader speculates that the ongoing protests in the city of Suwayda in southern Syria could be a potential reason for the withdrawal of checkpoints from Daraa. This is because the majority of soldiers stationed at these checkpoints are affiliated with the government forces’ 15th Division, which headquartered in Suwayda.
The former opposition leader further claimed that the Syrian government might seek to destabilize security in Daraa al-Balad after withdrawing its checkpoints. He said the government would orchestrate bombings in this area to showcase that its checkpoints were instrumental in maintaining security there.
The former leader believes that “the objective of withdrawing the checkpoints from Daraa al-Balad and several other areas in Syria is to improve the deteriorating economic situation in areas controlled by the Syrian regime, as these checkpoints impose royalties on merchants and wealthy individuals, leading to higher commodity prices for consumers.”
Insignificant Checkpoints
Osama al-Miqdad, spokesperson for the March 18 website, an opposition media agency operating in Daraa, told North Press that the evacuated checkpoints “had no significance, as they were deployed after the settlement agreement in 2021 and their presence was merely symbolic.”
He emphasized that “the Syrian regime is working to withdraw these checkpoints in order to reposition them in large and fortified main barracks and checkpoints, as they were not well fortified and easy to control.”
Reorganizing Matters
Hussam al-Barm, a journalist and political researcher, believes that “the Syrian regime always carries out this process from time to time to shuffle its cards, fearing the development of friendly relations between locals and the military checkpoints.”
Al-Barm believes that “the positive relationship that may develop between checkpoint personnel and the local population, if the checkpoints remain in the same location for an extended period, could result in a decrease in imposed royalties which is not in the regime’s interest.”
According to al-Barm, the withdrawal of government checkpoints can be attributed to “the suspension of meetings by the Arab Ministerial Contact Group with the Syrian regime, which led the regime to take this step to demonstrate its commitment to its obligations. However, these tactics will not deceive the concerned countries.” The Contact Group was founded on May 6 to follow up on the Arab involvement in resolving the Syrian crisis. It is comprised of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon in addition to the Arab League secretary general.