Security unrest after attack on government intelligence officer in Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, unidentified gunmen targeted an officer of the Syria government forces in the city of al-Sanamayn in the northern countryside of Daraa, southern Syria, causing security unrest and shooting in the region.
A local source told North Press that unknown assailants attacked Colonel Salem Iskandar Tarraf while passing near the al-Saadi restaurant in the city of al-Sanamayn.
Tarraf was directly shot and taken to the military hospital in al-Sanamayn, and his condition is stable, according to the source.
The region has witnessed intensive security deployment of the government forces. Flares were used, and indiscriminate shooting of civilian houses occurred, the source added.
In July 2018, the opposition armed faction and the government forces reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by Russia in the opposition-held areas in Daraa. Under the deal, the opposition armed factions agreed to hand over their heavy weapons in exchange for staying in Daraa, and those oppose the agreement would go to Idlib, which is under the control of the HTS.
Since the government forces re-captured Daraa in line with the 2018 agreement, the governorate has been living in a state of security chaos, with one or two daily assassinations targeting soldiers and officers of the government forces, not to mention the spread of thefts.
According to the source, the Tarraf’s car was towed after sustaining significant damage to the city’s military residences.
Tarraf works as the head of the general intelligence of the government forces in the city of al-Sanamayn and is accused of “committing violations against civilians.”
Tarraf hails from the village of Der al-Bashel in the city of Baniyas in Tartus Governorate, and he led raid operations to kick out opposition members there in the summer of 2020, the sources noted.