Neo-colonial Syrian Forces Begin Deploying in Jaramana After Deadly Clashes

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Mar 2025 22:58

The Director of Security for the Damascus Countryside Governorate says this action followed the refusal of those involved in the assassination of a government employee to surrender.

Syrian forces have begun deploying within the city of Jaramana in the Damascus countryside, confirmed the Director of Security for the Damascus Countryside Governorate, Colonel Hossam al-Tahhan.

On Saturday, the town of Jaramana in the Damascus countryside witnessed security tensions, as clashes erupted between General Security forces and local gunmen from the minority Druze community.

In an interview for Syria’s official news agency, SANA, al-Tahhan clarified that this action followed the refusal of those involved in the assassination of Ahmad al-Khatib, an employee of the Ministry of Defense, to surrender.

He pointed out that the deployed forces "will work to apprehend the individuals involved and hand them over to the judiciary."

Al-Tahhan stated that the armed groups, whom he referred to as "outlaws of state authority," rejected all mediation attempts and agreements.

"No geographic area in Syria will remain outside the control of state institutions," he stressed, highlighting the significant cooperation from the residents of Jaramana.

Al-Tahhan also explained that the goal behind the operation was to "end the state of chaos" and the illegal checkpoints established by outlawed groups that engage in kidnapping, murder, and armed robbery.

"Our only issue is with those who carried out the attack and assault, and we urge rational minds to recognize that this path threatens Syria’s security, stability and unity," he added.

In a related context, local sources told Al Mayadeen that six people were killed and 12 others were injured after being shot in front of a mosque in the village of Hiyalin in the Hama countryside. 

Since Islamist-led factions led by the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December, clashes and shootings have erupted in multiple areas, with security officials attributing the violence to armed supporters of the former government.

The final statement of the Syrian National Dialogue Conference advocated for "a monopoly on weapons by the state" and a new professional national army, cautioning that any "armed formations outside the official institutions" would be "outlawed".

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that "one person was killed and nine others from Jaramana were injured during clashes between security forces affiliated with the new authority and local gunmen tasked with protecting the area."

According to the observatory, tensions escalated on Friday when a dispute led to the killing of a security forces member and the injury of another in a shooting at a checkpoint in Jaramana.  

At the time, SANA cited al-Tahhan, who claimed that the checkpoint had stopped Ministry of Defense personnel entering the area to visit their relatives.  

After surrendering their weapons, they were assaulted, and "their vehicle was directly targeted by gunfire," resulting in casualties, al-Tahhan said, cautioning that such incidents could have serious implications for "Syria's security, stability, and unity."

On Saturday, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz warned Syria’s new rulers not to "harm the Druze," stating that the military had been ordered "to prepare and to send a firm and clear warning: if the regime harms the Druze, it will suffer the consequences."

His remarks followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand last Sunday for the "complete demilitarisation of southern Syria," including Sweida province, home to a significant Druze Arab population.  

It is noteworthy that the same day al-Assad was ousted, "Israel" announced that its troops were entering a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Syrian Golan Heights.