Latest news with #GeneralSecurityForces
The National
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
'You can't punish an entire sect': Fear and distrust as Syrian authorities encircle Druze-majority town
Syrian government security forces have re-established checkpoints throughout the Druze-majority suburb of Sahnaya in the south-west of Damascus, after three days of deadly sectarian violence that have left this once-quiet town shattered and on edge. The scent of ash still lingers in the air. Blackened facades of homes and shops speak to the ferocity of recent clashes, while unexploded mortar shells lie on the ground – reminders of the violence that pushed Sahnaya to the brink. Residents now sift through the remains, clearing shards of glass from looted storefronts and torched vehicles, even as uniformed officers from Syria's general security tighten control over the town's entrances and exits. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped as intense fighting broke between Druze militants defending Sahnaya and Syrian government-affiliated groups seeking to wrest control from local forces. Tamara Abu Alwan, 26, a political activist and humanitarian based in Sahnaya, described scenes of chaos and fear. 'Over 500 people were taken from Sahnaya, and only 30 have come back,' she told The National. 'Homes were set on fire, and people were called kuffar [infidel]. The Druze sheikhs were humiliated, and the government stood by. They labelled the local forces here as illegitimate, illegal groups, paving the way for what happened.' Abu Fadi, a commander with the General Security Forces, which has now established a tight cordon on the area said: 'We're here to prevent anyone but the state from carrying weapons'. 'Our mandate is clear – no armed group will be tolerated in Sahnaya, even if it is the Syrian Ministry of Defence. this area is now solely controlled by General Security.' he told The National in a statement. But distrust towards Damascus is still palpable. Activists and residents accuse the government of standing by while sectarian actors and some radical groups assaulted Sahnaya. As a sense of unease grips the town, Druze have voiced concern over continuing violations reported, phones searched at checkpoints, activists doxxed online, and community leaders targeted. 'Two lawyers who tried to negotiate the release of kidnapped Druze civilians were killed,' Tamara Abu Alwan continued. 'Now, people are afraid to even speak. The checkpoints are not just for security – they're there to make sure information coming out of the town is controlled.' On Thursday, Hussam Wourour, the mayor of Sahnaya, was assassinated alongside his only son shortly after appearing in a video urging calm and praising the return of government forces. The killing has stoked fears that the conflict may escalate further. The violence, according to residents and activists, was sparked by a deliberate social media misinformation campaign fuelled by sectarian groups. At the heart of the unrest was a fabricated voice recording circulating online, purported to be of a Druze cleric insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Although quickly debunked by Syrian authorities and leading Druze religious figures, the recording ignited outrage among pro-government militias, sparking attacks on Druze communities across the country - most notably in Sahnaya and nearby Jaramana. Jaramana, also a mainly Druze district but far larger and more heavily fortified by community militias, saw brief clashes before a tense standoff stabilised the situation. Rabih Monzer, member of the local council for Civil Peace in Jaramana, told The National, 'Officials from the political administration in Damascus visited the city of Jaramana after the clashes. We had a meeting to condemn the acts of rogue groups that attacked the city of Jaramana, as it was a flagrant violation.' 'The first casualties were actually from the General Security Forces. Some of them were even from our own city,' Mr Monzer said. 'We agreed [in the meeting] on four key points: first, to compensate the families of those who were killed; second, to hold those responsible for the attacks accountable; third, to ensure transparency through media coverage; and fourth, to secure guarantees that the road to Suwayda would remain open- it's a vital link for our families.' 'The roads are still blocked, and the recent tensions in Ashrafiyet Sahnaya have pushed us back to the edge. It's clear there are deep divisions among Syrians. The video and audio were fabricated – you can't punish an entire area, an entire sect, based on a lie.' Jaramana was the scene of concerted efforts of de-escalation, yet Sahnaya was left vulnerable. Armed groups, some reportedly implicated in earlier violence along the Syrian coast, swept into the town. With Sahnaya now under firm government control, the contrast with neighbouring Jaramana is stark. The latter avoided a full-scale incursion and retained its local defences - a sign that broader political calculations could be at play. The Druze community, long wary of both extremist factions and central authorities, now finds itself in an increasingly precarious position. As Syria reels from renewed sectarian strife, the road to reconciliation - and lasting peace - may run through Jaramana's fragile stability.
Days of Palestine
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israeli escalation targets area near Damascus presidential palace
DaysofPal- In a significant escalation, the Israeli military launched an airstrike on Friday targeting the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus, Syria. The move marks the second Israeli attack on Syrian territory in as many days, sparking regional alarm and drawing accusations of international aggression. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack in a joint statement with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, stating that the strike was aimed at delivering a clear message to the Syrian government. 'Last night, Israel carried out an airstrike near the presidential palace in Damascus,' Netanyahu said. 'This is a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow (Syrian) forces to deploy south of Damascus or pose any threat to the Druze.' Netanyahu further vowed that Israel would continue its operations under the justification of 'protecting' the Druze minority in Syria. Critics, however, accuse Israel of exploiting sectarian dynamics to justify repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty. The airstrike follows a previous attack on Wednesday, when Israeli aircraft targeted three alleged 'security targets' in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, a suburb southwest of Damascus. Israel claimed the attacks were carried out in 'defense' of the Druze community. Damascus, in response, reiterated that all religious and ethnic groups in Syria are treated equally and condemned the strikes as part of an effort to sow discord and chaos. 'These attacks are part of Israel's intervention in Syrian affairs and efforts to stir up chaos under the pretext of defending the Druze minority,' a Syrian government source stated. Tensions have been high in recent days, particularly in Jaramana, a city in the Damascus countryside, where unrest led to an agreement between the Syrian government and local religious leaders to allow General Security Forces to enter and restore order. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that since May 1, at least 65 people have been killed in various incidents. Among the dead are members of the Syrian administration, affiliated armed groups, and individuals from the Druze and Alawite communities. The most violent confrontations were recorded in Sweida and its countryside, as well as in Sahnaya, where 29 Druze fighters reportedly died in an ambush allegedly carried out by forces from Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries and allied groups. Druze leaders in the Jabal al-Summaq region have met with Idlib officials to reduce sectarian tensions. Mohammad al-Khalaf, director of political affairs in Idlib, and Hussein Junaid, director of the Harem district, expressed strong opposition to what they termed 'attempts to sow strife and division,' according to a report by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). Shortlink for this post:
LBCI
09-03-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Syrian state media reports discovery of mass grave in Al Qardahah (Video)
Syrian state news agency SANA released initial footage of a recently discovered mass grave in the city of Al Qardahah. According to the report, the grave contains the remains of members of the "General Security Forces" who were allegedly executed by remnants of the regime while carrying out their duties. SANA stated that the bodies were buried in a mass grave located in one of Al Qardahah's valleys. مشاهد أولية من العثور على مقبرة جماعية تضم عدداً من قوات الأمن العام الذين غدرت بهم فلول النظام البائد أثناء تأديتهم لعملهم، ثم قامت بدفنهم بمقبرة جماعية في أحد أودية مدينة القرداحة. #سانا — الوكالة العربية السورية للأنباء - سانا (@SanaAjel) March 9, 2025
Egypt Today
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egypt rejects any moves undermining Syria's security, safety after killing 333 civilians in Latakia clashes
CAIRO – 8 March 2025: Egypt expressed its concern over the clashes that took place in Latakia Governorate in Syria, which resulted in hundreds of casualties and injuries. In an official statement, Egypt affirmed its supportive stance towards the Syrian state, its national institutions and its stability in the face of security challenges. Egypt voiced its rejection of any moves that would affect the security, safety and stability of the Syrian people, the statement added. Egypt reaffirmed the importance of combating all forms of violence, the necessity of putting the Syrian national security into all considerations, and working to overcome this critical transitional phase in Syria. Egypt reiterated the importance of launching a comprehensive transitional political process that ensures the participation of all segments of the Syrian people without exclusion and guarantees the rights of all sects in sisterly Syria. Clashes have taken place between the current Syrian government's forces and pro-Assad forces in the coastal city of Latakia since Thursday, March 6, 2025. Since then, 333 civilians were killed in the clashes based on a sectarian and regional basis in Syrian coastal areas and Latakia mountains, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Saturday. On Friday, curfew was declared in three areas of Latakia, Homs and Tartus. In his speech regarding the clashes in Latakia, Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa vowed to pursue the pro-Assad forces and hold them accountable for their crimes. 'By your heinous act of killing those who protect Syria and stay up to serve it, storming hospitals and terrorizing the innocent, you have attacked all Syrians, by doing so, you have committed a great and unforgivable sin, and you have received a response that you cannot bear, so, throw away your weapons and surrender before it is too late,' Sharaa said in his televised speech on Friday. He added: 'We will hunt remnants of the deposed regime, those who refused to do anything but continue in their oppression and tyranny, those who committed crimes against the people, and those who seek to undermine security and civil peace.' A security source in Latakia to the Syrian state news agency (SANA) that another attack by remnants of the former regime targeted the National Hospital in Latakia, noting that the General Security Forces are confronting this attack. Another source in the Ministry of Defense told SANA that the current regime's forces thwarted an attack by pro-Assad forces on the naval forces command in Latakia, and restored stability to the region.
