As-Suwayda personalities: return to tension may occur at any moment
As-Suwayda media and legal activists confirmed that the Damascus government was attempting to re-establish control over the Syrian As-Suwayda, noting that the current return to calm did not mean that the crisis was over, but that it was even more likely that it would erupt at any time.
The As-Suwayda Governorate experienced violent clashes from Sunday night into Monday between local armed factions and the security forces of the Government of Damascus. This occurred due to the factions' demand to remove a checkpoint established by the forces at the city's entrance. The checkpoint was set up in response to the factions deploying additional military roadblocks in the city, which has been the site of ongoing anti-authority protests for 11 months.
Several areas within Suwayda witnessed street warfare, with roads being blocked to prevent military reinforcements that could potentially encircle the city.
Local sources reported that a consensus had been reached between security actors of the Government of Damascus and the community in As-Suwayda regarding the new checkpoint erected at the northern entrance to As-Suwayda, near the al-Anqoud roundabout, which had led to a dangerous escalation over the past few days.
The director of the Swedish Information Centre, Murhaf al-Shaer, spoke to ANHA's agency about this, saying, As-Suwayda has witnessed new tension and provocation by the authority over the past few days by erecting a checkpoint at the al-Anqoud roundabout in the northern city's entrance. This has provoked the enthusiasm of the people who are demanding political change and reform, and moving away from military authority. As long as the checkpoint does not offer anything new to maintain security in Suwayda, which has abandoned the authority's responsibilities, it has supported gangs, encouraged chaos, and should have been rejected instead of separating As-Suwayda.
He added that “these checkpoints were found to impose royalties and facilitate the passage and transit of stolen cars, which were involved in part with state security, and that an officer in state security. It was also revealed that one of the officers of state security confessed to a special investigation by the Free Jabal Al-Arab Gathering.”
With regard to the objectives of this, al-Shaer believes that “with regard to the government of Damascus, it seems to be a public indication that it is trying closely to monitor As-Suwayda residents' feelings from time to time, by waving the use of military force at once, by threatening to have cells to support others. This peaceful movement, which has embarrassed it and renewed the spirit of the Syrian revolution, has become an essential objective for it and is working on it through many means: economic blockade, displacement, internal sedition, support for gangs, facilitation of kidnapping, and psychological warfare through rumours and fabrication of charges.”
The escalation is not over
A human rights activist from As-Suwayda, Adel al-Hadi, also spoke, saying: “What the Syrian authority has done is attempt to regain control of the Suwayda governorate, beginning by attempting to erect a major security checkpoint on the entrance to the city of As-Suwayda, depending on the leader of a city gang, where the gang follows the authority.”
He pointed out that “the escalation has not ended and may erupt at any moment, and perhaps in an even more intense way.”
In a recent conclusion, he told ANHA’s agency that “we must separate the civil peaceful movement, which calls for the application of international resolution 2254, from the reactions of local factions to the provocations of the Ba’athist Power of As-Suwayda, as the popular movement continues with its demands for a comprehensive international solution.”
T/ Satt.
ANHA
As-Suwayda personalities: return to tension may occur at any moment
The As-Suwayda Governorate experienced violent clashes from Sunday night into Monday between local armed factions and the security forces of the Government of Damascus. This occurred due to the factions' demand to remove a checkpoint established by the forces at the city's entrance. The checkpoint was set up in response to the factions deploying additional military roadblocks in the city, which has been the site of ongoing anti-authority protests for 11 months.
Several areas within Suwayda witnessed street warfare, with roads being blocked to prevent military reinforcements that could potentially encircle the city.
Local sources reported that a consensus had been reached between security actors of the Government of Damascus and the community in As-Suwayda regarding the new checkpoint erected at the northern entrance to As-Suwayda, near the al-Anqoud roundabout, which had led to a dangerous escalation over the past few days.
The director of the Swedish Information Centre, Murhaf al-Shaer, spoke to ANHA's agency about this, saying, As-Suwayda has witnessed new tension and provocation by the authority over the past few days by erecting a checkpoint at the al-Anqoud roundabout in the northern city's entrance. This has provoked the enthusiasm of the people who are demanding political change and reform, and moving away from military authority. As long as the checkpoint does not offer anything new to maintain security in Suwayda, which has abandoned the authority's responsibilities, it has supported gangs, encouraged chaos, and should have been rejected instead of separating As-Suwayda.
He added that “these checkpoints were found to impose royalties and facilitate the passage and transit of stolen cars, which were involved in part with state security, and that an officer in state security. It was also revealed that one of the officers of state security confessed to a special investigation by the Free Jabal Al-Arab Gathering.”
With regard to the objectives of this, al-Shaer believes that “with regard to the government of Damascus, it seems to be a public indication that it is trying closely to monitor As-Suwayda residents' feelings from time to time, by waving the use of military force at once, by threatening to have cells to support others. This peaceful movement, which has embarrassed it and renewed the spirit of the Syrian revolution, has become an essential objective for it and is working on it through many means: economic blockade, displacement, internal sedition, support for gangs, facilitation of kidnapping, and psychological warfare through rumours and fabrication of charges.”
The escalation is not over
A human rights activist from As-Suwayda, Adel al-Hadi, also spoke, saying: “What the Syrian authority has done is attempt to regain control of the Suwayda governorate, beginning by attempting to erect a major security checkpoint on the entrance to the city of As-Suwayda, depending on the leader of a city gang, where the gang follows the authority.”
He pointed out that “the escalation has not ended and may erupt at any moment, and perhaps in an even more intense way.”
In a recent conclusion, he told ANHA’s agency that “we must separate the civil peaceful movement, which calls for the application of international resolution 2254, from the reactions of local factions to the provocations of the Ba’athist Power of As-Suwayda, as the popular movement continues with its demands for a comprehensive international solution.”
T/ Satt.
ANHA
