ALBAWABA - As the violence escalates, Syrian General Security has sent significant forces to the southern Syrian province of Daraa's eastern countryside. The action is intended to bring peace after violent clashes in the city of Busra al-Sham.
The security operation in Busra al-Sham is also aimed at disbanding the Eighth Brigade, a group under the direction of former opposition commander Ahmad Al-Awda, according to local news sources based on Telegram.
Authorities are working to increase security across the area, and in tandem, a disarmament effort was started in the Daraa town of Saida to gather illicit and unregistered firearms.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the United Kingdom, said earlier Friday that three Syrian Ministry of Defense personnel were seriously wounded in an assault in Busra al-Sham that was purportedly carried out by fighters from the Eighth Brigade. An ex-opposition leader who joined the administration is among the wounded. After the event, security personnel stepped up their presence on the city's streets and enforced a curfew.
As a result of accusations from certain locals that members of the Eighth Brigade were trying to kill and imprison Ministry of Defense personnel, tensions increased. Nevertheless, no proof has been made public to back up the claims as of yet.
Despite government attempts to reintegrate former opposition organizations under reconciliation treaties, the latest events signal a fresh period of instability in Daraa, a region that has seen several flare-ups.
