4 people killed in Syria’s Daraa for drug trafficking
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Four people were killed in clashes between the Eighth Brigade, affiliated with the military intelligence of Syrian government forces, and groups working in drug trafficking in the eastern countryside of Daraa, southern Syria.
A local source told North Press that Raed al-Radi, Odai al-Zoghbi, Ali al-Abed and Anwar al-Rifai were killed in clashes took place in the town of Umm al-Mayathin, in the eastern countryside of Daraa.
On March 6, military groups, belonging to the Eighth Brigade, raided a number of towns in the eastern countryside of Daraa, in search for people involved in the drug trade.
In 2018, the Eighth Brigade, which is backed by Russia, was established out of the remnants of the Shabab al-Sunna faction headed by Ahmad al-Awda of the Syrian opposition during its control of southern Syria.
The killed people used to work for the groups of Fayez al-Radi and Ismail al-Kadah who are charged with working in drug trafficking, according to the source.
Hamid al-Mejareesh aka Abu Karem Mejareesh, a leader of a group affiliated with the Eighth Brigade, was also injured, the source added.
The source noted that the clashes calmed down after notables of the area intervened to prevent more casualties and material loses.
The Eighth Brigade seized large amounts of drugs that were found in a house inhabited by the members of Fayez al-Radi group, in the Umm al-Mayathin, the source added.
On March 4, clashes erupted between the Eighth Brigade and the Fayez al-Radi group. As a result, Muhammad al-Hariri, affiliated with Fayez al-Radi group, was killed.
Over the past years, this region has witnessed continuous smuggling of narcotics into Jordanian territory, as the Jordanian army periodically announces the seizure of quantities of captagon pills and other drugs.
Several international reports, headed by the US Treasury, accuse the Syrian government and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia of running large drug trafficking networks in this border area, as well as other Syrian regions.