Government-affiliated groups hand over weapon to Men of Dignity in Syria’s Suwayda
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Armed groups affiliated with Syrian government forces in Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria, continue to hand over weapons to Men of Dignity Movement after the latter gave them a deadline.
Two days ago, Men of Dignity Movement, the main faction in Suwayda, gave all the armed groups affiliated with the government’s security branches a deadline to hand over their weapons.
On July 23, Suwayda witnessed a state of unrest, that lasted for more than a week, amid continuous protests against violations by armed groups affiliated with the government’s Military Intelligence, which developed into armed clashes that led to the expulsion of the groups from the governorate.
The Men of Dignity is a self-defense militia established after the outbreak of the Syrian war to defend the Suwayda area. Described as a terror organization by Russia, it took an initial position against the Syrian government in the early days of the war but did not engage in any armed struggle with government forces.
A local source told North Press that the movement works on managing weapon possession in the hands of the abovementioned factions in order to restore security to the governorate and control bandits and indiscriminate firing that were widespread in the area.
These steps come as a continuation of what the movement has already started in collaboration with honorable people of the governorate, as they have fought extremist gangs, that have practiced kidnapping, killing and drug manufacturing, according to leaders of the movement.
On Monday, a group affiliated with al-Fahd Forces that operate under the umbrella of the Military Intelligence handed over cars carrying machineguns, as a gesture that they will commit to the deadline, according to the source.
A state of anticipation prevails the governorate, after the popular movement that took place on 23 July, resulting in taking control of all headquarters of an armed group affiliated with Military Security branch in Suwayda.
Earlier, Sheikh Laith al-Balous, the son of Sheikh Wahid al-Balous and the leader of the Men of Dignity Movement, announced that he had handed over six detainees to their families after they pledged that they will not follow saboteurs who can hit the internal fabric in the area.
The aforementioned detainees were arrested during an attempt to break into headquarters of a security group, according to local sources.
According to statistics of Health Directorate in Suwayda, the death toll of the movement that took place lately in Suwayda, has reached 19 people from armed groups and five from people in Suwayda.