Russian official visits Syria’s Suwayda to settle recruitment
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, a Russian high-ranking official from Damascus, visited the headquarters of Sheikhs of Aql of the Mouwahidoun Druze in the town of Qanawat in Suwayda, north Syria, to accomplish the settlement process regarding those, who evaded the compulsory military services.
The Russian official accompanied by Salem al-Hawash, the head of the State Security Agency in Suwayda, paid a visit to the house of the Sheikh of Aql of the Druze community Hikmat Hajri, a source accompanied the Russian delegation told North Press.
The visit takes place to complete the previous ones, which aim to push those, who evaded the military service, to gain settlements with the government, the source added.
Since January, Russian troops have been trying to attract local figures and leaders through distributing food baskets to accomplish settlements in order to join the evaders to the Syrian government forces’ ranks.
Sheikh Hajri demanded the delegation to improve the living conditions of the recruited within the government forces, before discussing the settlements that had been previously made, the source pointed out.
Hajri also discussed the fate of two young men from Suwayda, who disappeared on February 20, south of Raqqa, after they were recruited by the Russians, according to the source.
The number of the evaders of both compulsory and reserve military services in Suwayda reached about 33,000 persons, security source from Recruitment Division of Suwayda had previously told North Press.