Northern Syria -

As-Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria, did not witness similar events as those experienced by its residents during the past two days, as unprecedented clashes erupted with light and medium weapons between local armed factions and the "Fajr Forces" militia of the military regime's security that ended with the militia's exclusion, amid reports of the escape of its leader. Raji Falhout.

Yesterday, Wednesday, hundreds of people from the city of As-Suwayda gathered at the famous gallows roundabout to celebrate the victory of the local armed factions led by the "Men of Dignity" movement over the militia "Fajr Forces" loyal to the Syrian regime, firing shots into the sky to celebrate the end of the presence of that militia in the province of As-Suwayda.

According to local sources, the clashes centered in the town of Attil in the countryside of As-Suwayda, when the local factions led by the "men of dignity" launched a large-scale attack on the house of Raji Falhout, who barricaded himself with dozens of members inside his house.

The sources told Al Jazeera Net that the factions killed and captured dozens of "Fajr Forces" members, whom the people accused of spreading chaos in the province through kidnappings, extortion of residents and arbitrary arrests with the cover and cover of the Syrian regime and its security forces.

spark clashes

The reasons for the repercussions on the ground in As-Suwayda go back to last Saturday after members of the Dawn Forces kidnapped the young Jad Hassan al-Taweel from the city of Shahba in the countryside of As-Suwayda under the pretext of receiving funding from abroad, which prompted his family to cut off the Suwayda-Damascus road and arrest officers of the regime forces.

According to the "Suwayda 24" news network, an agreement was concluded between the "Fajr Forces" and the people to release detainees on both sides and open roads, but the agreement did not last long after it was overturned by the militia, which prompted the people and local factions to attack.

popular uprising

In turn, the managing director of the managing editor of the "Suwayda 24" news network, Rayan Maarouf, said that the roots of the security events go back to 2018, when the Syrian regime - represented by the Military Intelligence - supported armed groups involved in violations and murders to become a de facto authority over the people of As-Suwayda.

Maarouf added - in an interview with Al Jazeera Net - that the militias' abuses were greatly exacerbated by the killing of civilians during their kidnappings on the pretext that they were wanted by the Syrian regime, and the publication of video recordings of the torture of detainees, as a security agency that enforced the law.

Maarouf describes what happened as a popular uprising that shocked the regime and did not expect it to happen, "because he was playing on a chord that the members of the Druze sect do not fight among themselves, but the opposite happened by raiding the fortified military headquarters of the Dawn Forces militia."

The Syrian journalist from As-Suwayda ruled out a military escalation between the local factions and the Syrian regime, expressing his belief that the people of As-Suwayda do not want that, and their goal is the militias backed by the regime.

hard lesson

The Al-Taweel family, the largest of the families in the city of Shahba, suffered bloody human losses, represented by the killing of 3 people, including at the hands of the "Fajr Forces" during the past year, according to what a family member confirmed.

The spokesman - who asked not to be identified for security reasons - told Al Jazeera Net that "these gangs also killed a family member this year and kidnapped many randomly, but the recent uprising was a harsh lesson for these gangs and everyone who deals with them."

"De-gangster"

The recent events do not seem to be the end of the security and military file in the province, as the data indicate the continuation of military operations that may target security groups linked to the Syrian regime.

A leader in the "Men of Dignity" movement - who refused to reveal his name - confirmed that "the movement's forces are continuing operations to root out gang members involved in crimes and violations against the residents of As-Suwayda Governorate."

The leader said - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net - that after storming the headquarters of the "Fajr Forces" militia led by Raji Falhout, the movement's members found documents proving his connection to the security services, including security and settlement cards, in addition to equipment used in the manufacture of narcotic Captagon pills.