Enab Baladi – Ali Darwish

Several security incidents have rocked As-Suwayda governorate in southern Syria since the appointment of the new governor, Major General Akram Ali Mohammed, who has a background in security and military and is known for committing violations against Syrians.

Mohammed was appointed on May 12, following the tenure of three civilian-background governors since 2020: Humam Dibiyat, Numayr Makhlouf, and Engineer Bassam Barsik.

Major General Amer al-Ashi was the last retired security officer to hold the position of As-Suwayda Governor, between 2016 and 2020.

The appointment of Akram Mohammed also comes about nine months after peaceful protests calling for the regime’s overthrow began in August 2023.

Different security scene

Assistant researcher at the Omran Center for Strategic Studies, Yaman Zabad, told Enab Baladi that Major General Akram Mohammed “has a security dimension as he was known for his role in violently confronting demonstrations in Aleppo in 2011.”

Zabad added that given the presence of local militias supported by security branches on the one hand, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other, this makes the (security incidents) option feasible while these militias are also involved in Captagon drug trade and its transport to the Jordanian border.

The sequence of security events in the governorate since the arrival of Governor Akram Mohammed suggests a security-oriented approach in the upcoming phase. According to researcher Yaman Zabad, one of the most prominent security events during this period was the assassination of Mountain Brigade leader Merhej al-Germani, days after his statements supporting the Jaramana protests in rural Damascus.

All this implies that the regime has replaced the open military solution with a security solution accompanied by operations targeting symbols of the protests and inciting religious sheikhs supporting demonstrations, such as Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, according to Zabad.

According to a position assessment published by the Harmoon Center for Contemporary Studies on August 29, 2023, the regime cannot use violence against protesters in As-Suwayda due to several constraints and considerations.

Violence by the regime against As-Suwayda would lead to hostility from both Lebanese and Israeli Druze, who hold influence over the Israeli government.

The regime also fears that using violence might provoke counter-violence, as happened in 2011, especially with the possibility of solidarity from neighboring Daraa, which has shown much support for As-Suwayda and potentially Quneitra could join as well, according to the Harmoon Center.

Using violence might also provoke the United States and Europeans, increasing their pressure on the regime. The regime might see continued demonstrations for some time as a useful tool to pressure its Iranian and Russian allies to increase aid provided to meet some of the needs of Syrians in its controlled areas to ease their anger.

From reinforcement to liquidation

Before Akram Mohammed’s appointment, successive military reinforcements arrived around As-Suwayda city in late April, raising fears that the regime might use a military solution at the time.

A few days after his appointment as governor, Akram Mohammed met with the Sheikh of the Druze Unitarian sect, Youssef Jarbou, who did not support the As-Suwayda popular movement that began in August 2023, demanding the regime’s overthrow.

The regime-aligned newspaper Al-Watan reported on May 19 that Sheikh Youssef Jarbou came to congratulate Mohammed on his appointment as governor of As-Suwayda.

In late May, social media platforms circulated statements about the formation of a Military Council to unite local military factions in As-Suwayda under one leadership.

The figures behind the Council claimed to the military factions in the governorate that the spiritual leader of the Druze sect, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, requested the council’s formation and that it was established by his direct orders, given al-Hijri supports the movement.

However, al-Hijri’s office denied the sheikh’s knowledge of the “Military Council” idea. Overlapping sources from As-Suwayda told Enab Baladi that no Military Council exists on the ground and that its activity is limited to social media.

One of the most prominent events in the governorate was the clashes between local factions and regime forces, which started on June 23 and ended on June 26.

The clashes erupted because local factions refused to allow regime forces to establish a security checkpoint at the Ankoud roundabout at the northern entrance to the city.

The two sides agreed to move the checkpoint away from the city’s main street towards the west, turning it into a military post rather than a security checkpoint for inspecting passersby, with a commitment not to set up new checkpoints.

Early on July 6, an explosive device exploded in a vehicle belonging to traditional leader Prince Louay al-Atrash in the village of Ara, without causing any injuries.

The police headquarters building in As-Suwayda city was shot at, followed by clashes with unknown gunmen on July 14.

The incident ended without injuries, and the regime’s official media ignored it, while no faction in the city claimed responsibility for the operation.

The assassination of al-Germani

The most prominent security event in recent days was the assassination of Mountain Brigade leader Merhej al-Germani on the morning of July 17 at his home with a single shot to the head, without knowing who was behind the assassination.

Activists from As-Suwayda told Enab Baladi at the time that the details and manner of the assassination were unclear, pointing out the possibility of security agencies being behind the assassination due to his support and participation in the protest movement in the governorate.

El-Germani participated in the popular movement in As-Suwayda demanding the overthrow of the Syrian regime, the expulsion of Iran from the country, considering it an “occupier,” and the implementation of UN resolution “2254,” which ensures a peaceful transition of power through democratic elections supervised by the United Nations.

In June, al-Germani detained regime officers and soldiers in response to the regime’s security agencies’ arrest of a young woman from As-Suwayda due to her involvement in the popular movement and managed to free her in an exchange operation.

Sources told Enab Baladi about disputes between him and the “Mohannad Muzher” and “Wael al-Shaar” gangs affiliated with the regime’s security agencies and involved in drug trade and smuggling.

The Mountain Brigade was established in 2016 and is one of the local factions that participated in eliminating groups involved in the drug trade, supported by the regime’s security forces.

The brigade, led by al-Germani, alongside the Men of Dignity Movement, ended the al-Fahd Forces group led by Salim Hamid, linked to Military Intelligence, in August 2022, and the al-Fajr Forces group led by Raji Falhout in July 2022, also affiliated with Military Intelligence.

Who is Major General Akram Mohammed?

He holds a law degree from 1985 and attended several senior leadership and management courses at the Institute of Security Sciences.

He has held various military positions, eventually becoming a retired officer.

The Pro Justice organization specializing in publishing information on war criminals in Syria, has reported on his record of violations.

He is considered one of the prominent officers of the General Intelligence Directorate, also known as State Security.

In 2009, he was appointed head of the State Security branch in Aleppo with the rank of brigadier general.

He killed protesters, and his elements carried out killings under torture in the early days of the demonstrations in Aleppo, sharing the task with Major General Adeeb Salameh, head of the Air Intelligence branch in the northern region, along with several officers from various security branches.

Akram Mohammed was transferred from Aleppo to Damascus after opposition factions took control of most of Aleppo in January 2013.

After his transfer to Damascus, he headed the Branch 255 of the General Intelligence Directorate, succeeding Brigadier General Ghassan Khalil.

Branch 255 specializes in general information, contains all security studies, and is responsible for monitoring media and internet activity and supervising the work of the Syrian Electronic Army.

In 2016, he was appointed head of the State Security branch in Tartus.

He was promoted to the rank of major general in early 2019, then appointed as the first deputy head of the General Intelligence Service, Hussam Luka, who is considered one of the most powerful security figures in the As-Suwayda file, and remained in this position until he was retired.