Implementation of ceasefire agreement begins in Syria’s Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, the Central Committee in Daraa and the government security committee, accompanied by the Russian guarantor, began implementing the terms of the agreement that was reached on Sunday evening, which includes handing over light and medium weapons.
For 78 days, Daraa al-Balad and its besieged neighborhoods have been suffering from a suffocating siege imposed by pro-Iranian factions and government forces.
On Sunday evening, a number of Daraa’s notables and government forces, in the presence of a number of Russian officers, reached a ceasefire agreement, with a deadline until ten o’clock this morning to hand over weapons and start implementing the terms of the agreement.
One of the notables of Daraa who preferred not to be named told North Press that the notables of Daraa met with the security committee of the government forces in the presence of a number of Russian officers, including the deputy chief of staff of the Russian army.
The Russian Deputy Chief of Staff said that he came to Daraa in order to solve the issue of Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods, whether by peaceful means or by a military solution in case all weapons were not handed over, he added.
The Russian officer gave a deadline until six in the morning, before extending it to ten in the morning today, and said: “If the weapons are not delivered during this period, Russian planes will target Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods,” according to the notable.
He indicated that Russia, according to what the Russian officer said, will be the guarantor for the Iranian-backed Fourth Division and prevent it from entering and carrying out arrests, theft, and killings.
A Russian delegation will enter with the government forces’ security committee and the dignitaries of Houran in order to monitor the implementation of the agreement and prevent abuses, according to the Russian officer.
The agreement begins with handing over all weapons, without specifying a particular number, after which government security services will enter and station at nine checkpoints in the neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad, Tariq al-Sad, and the camps, and the residents’ identities will be checked to ensure that there are no strangers present, the notable explained.
Government forces and pro-Iranian factions will withdraw as soon as the implementation of the agreement begins, and a settlement office will be opened to settle the status of those wanted by the government, and those who do not wish to settle will be deported to northern Syria, according to the notable.
Daraa’s notables conveyed the outcome of the meeting to the residents of Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods, who expressed their consent to it.
The Russian officer was informed that the residents had accepted the terms of the agreement, as he was the supervisor of the implementation of this agreement.
He stressed that the agreement includes the neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad, Tariq al-Sad and the IDP camps, without exception.