Residents form self-protection patrols due to lack of government security, Syria’s Suwayda
SUWAYDA, Syria (North press) – On Friday, residents of the town of Rasas in the southern countryside of Syria’s Suwayda formed self-protection patrols, due to the increase in cases of robbery, murder and kidnapping, amid the complete absence of government security forces.
“During the past five years, robberies and kidnappings have increased in most of the towns and villages in the countryside of Suwayda, with total indifference from the government,” a field source told North Press.
The source added: “As a result of the absence of government security, self-protection patrols have been conducted by residents in the area due to an urgent and necessary need.”
50-year-old Said al-Karama (a pseudonym), a resident of the town of Rasas, said that the absence of government security and police services “pushed the residents to protect themselves.”
He added: “Many villages and towns have been robbed, and private and public property has been looted, not to mention kidnappings by unidentified groups which residents believe are linked to the security apparatus.”
A government security source in Suwayda, however, stated in an interview with North Press that the residents of Suwayda should not carry out any independent patrols without coordinating with the security authorities.