The city of Daraa al-Balad witnessed a demonstration, where people demanded the release of the detainees and shouted slogans against the area’s people who joined the ranks of Assad’s forces.
Dozens of the Daraa al-Balad’s people demonstrated in the yard of the al-Omari Mosque, asking for the release of the detainees held in the Syrian regime’s prisons, Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported today, Friday (December 21).
He added that the demonstrators’ slogans accused the city people, who joined the Assad’s forces ranks of “treason,” after they used to function under the opposition factions prior to the settlement deals last July.
According to a video, posted onto “Facebook,” the slogans of today’s demonstration were the following: “We no more want settlements; bring out, bring out the women detainees,” “You traitors, you conscripts, were the past years meaningless to you” and “You have joined the scoundrels.”
The demonstrators also raised the revolution’s flag, in addition to signs showing their demands, while the Syrian regime did not comment to the time this report was written.
Unique with what it symbolizes, the demonstration is the first of its kind since Assad’s forces and their Russian ally controlled the governorate last July in return for the legalization of the status of thousands of people and the departure of the opposition figures refusing the settlement to Idlib governorate.
Back then, the opposition factions and the Syrian regime, along with the Russians, signed a deal, providing for the release of detainees from prisons, refrain from persecuting the wanted people after their status being legalized, in addition to lessening the security restrictions that suffocated the population.
However, the regime did not keep these promises; the detainees, including women, are yet held at prisons, dozens of the people, whose status was legalized, were detained, including former commanders on the pretext that suits are filed against them personally.
Last August, a month following the deal, Daraa al-Balad witnessed a vigil of dozens of people, through which they demanded the alleviation of security restrictions and the release of the detainees and announced that they are holding on to the principles of the Syrian revolution.
The demonstrators also raised signs saying the following: “We have put weapons aside, but our revolution is ongoing,” “Lift the security grip tightening around our necks” and “Daraa al-Balad will never die, and we want the detainees.”
The demonstrators were led by Adham al-Krad, former commander of the “Free Army,” who used to be in command of the “Engineering and Missile Regiment.”
The Assad’s forces managed to control the two governorates of Daraa and Quneitra under a settlement deal, following days of shelling and military reinforcements.
Demonstration demands release of detainees and accuses Assad’s Forces conscripts of treason, Daraa – December 21, 2018 (Horan Free League)