Government commander killed in Syria’s Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – On Friday, unknown armed men shot dead a commander of a military group affiliated with the Syrian government forces in the northern countryside of Daraa Governorate, southern Syria.
A local source told North Press that “Hafez Iman al-Eid al-Falah, commander of an armed military group affiliated to the Forth Armored Division of the government forces was shot dead by unknown armed men in the city of al- Sanamayn north of Daraa.”
The source added that al-Falah, who hails from al-Sanamayn, had close ties with Ghiyath Dalah, a prominent officer in the Forth Armored Division who led the military campaign in Daraa in 2018.
Al-Falah and his military group had previously supported the government forces in al-Sanamayn.
Since protests erupted in Daraa in 2011, the government has recruited hundreds of young men, whose number has increased following the settlement agreement in 2018.
Since the government forces re-captured Daraa in 2018, the governorate has been living in a state of insecurity, with one or two daily assassinations targeting soldiers and officers of the government forces, not to mention the spread of thefts.
In July 2018, the opposition armed factions and government forces reached a cease-fire agreement mediated by Russia in the opposition-held areas in Daraa Governorate. Under the deal, the opposition armed factions agreed to hand over their weapons in exchange for staying in Daraa, and those who opposed the agreement they were sent to Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front).