By Mo’ayed al-Ashqar
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Abdurrahman has repeatedly participated in resolving local disputes in Daraa Governorate, southern Syria. However, just as they come close to a solution, individuals who are not involved in the dispute interfere to fan the flames.
Abdurrahman al-Khalaf, a pseudonym for a community leader in Daraa, told North Press that their Reconciliation Council intervenes in local disputes after they escalate into clashes that result in deaths, injuries, and the burning of houses between the parties involved.
The Reconciliation Council, composed of prominent community leaders from Daraa, faces difficulties in resolving problems between conflicting local parties due to the interference of external parties, al-Khalaf said.
Al-Khalaf further added that the mission of these “external parties” is to fan the flames and incite each party against the other by using young men and urging them not to accept any solution that does not involve revenge.
After investigating the background of the inciters, you can easily notice that they have links with the Syrian government officers who have an interest in keeping the area destabilized and divided.
Recently, Daraa has witnessed unprecedented local disputes which even involve the use of weapons, leading to many deaths and injuries.
Muhammad al-Khalidi, 54, a pseudonym for another prominent figure in Daraa, pointed out that during numerous meetings with Syrian government officers in Daraa, particularly Brigadier-General Luay al-Ali, the head of the Military Security Branch in Daraa, there have been explicit threats to destabilize the region by any means.
Such threats arose from the refusal to comply with demands made by government officers, primarily related to the surrender of young men who have not fulfilled the mandatory military service in Daraa, he added.
However, he said, it never crossed our minds that these threats would lead to the recruitment of people tasked with inciting dispute among the governorate residents and searching for old conflicts to revive.
According to al-Khalidi, the extensive proliferation of weapons in Daraa is a primary strategy employed by Syrian government officers to fuel discord. Practically, whenever disputes arise, which are currently abundant in Daraa, arms will be used, which will result in casualties that further intensify the conflicts.
Al-Khalidi recounts a particular meeting that took place in late 2018, coinciding with the initiation of a reconciliation agreement. During this meeting, he said that he encountered Colonel Muhammad Issa, an officer in the Fourth Division of the Syrian government forces. According to al-Khalidi, Colonel Issa expressed his intention to manipulate Daraa residents, inciting them against each other and effectively fostering conflict within the community.
On the other hand, Issa al-Kilani, 42, a resident of the western countryside of Daraa, told North Press that the majority of the ongoing disputes in the region are actually long-standing conflicts that have resurfaced suddenly. It has become evident that there is a third party involved, actively working to revive these conflicts.
Al-Kilani emphasized that the instigators have a clear objective of exploiting conflicts between prominent families to provoke clashes, resulting in casualties and injuries and thus creating a state of instability within the region.
Al-Kilani noted that one of the prominent disputes has recently taken place in the city of Tafas, in western Daraa, between the two families of al-Zubi and Kiwan, where at least 15 people were killed on both sides as a result of armed clashes.