Government security forces to conduct new “settlement” in Syria’s Daraa

QARAA, Syria (North Press) – Security Committee of the Syrian government forces demanded the people of Syria’s southern governorate of Daraa to conduct a new settlement for the status of those wanted, local sources told North Press on Friday. 

The sources said that days before, officers of the government forces had met with some notables of Daraa and told them they wanted to conduct a new settlement, and those who do not want to settle their status, the government will provide them with visas to travel abroad, according to the sources.

Major General, Mufid Hassan, commander of the First Legion and head of the security committee in Daraa, threatened to storm the city and the towns in case their residents refuse the settlement, the sources noted. 

They indicated that the settlement will be conducted through police stations and head of villages, locally known as “muhtars”, but not through settlement centers as it was before.

The source pointed out that the muhtar of the town of Sahwa, east of Daraa, informed the people that those who want to settle their status must send their ID information and hand over their weapons – if they have.  

Officers of the police station in the town of al-Musayfrah, east of Daraa, messaged the muhtars via Whatsapp noting to the necessity of the people to settle the status of the wanted. 

Muhtars of the town of Eastern Ghariyah told the people that this settlement is the last one, and that it also includes the wanted who are abroad.

This is the fifth settlement imposed on the people of Daraa Governorate. The last one was on April 20, 2022, and the first and the biggest one was in September 2018.

In July 2018, opposition factions and Syrian government forces reached an agreement, mediated by Russia, for the opposition-held areas of Daraa.

According to the deal, opposition militants who agreed to hand over heavy weapons, were handed special cards to protect them from prosecution, and allowed to stay in Daraa. Those opposed the agreement were forced to leave for Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front).        

Reporting by Ihsan Muhammad