As part of the intensifying crackdown on citizens of Dara’a province in southern Syria, the Assad regime forces on Sunday prevented people from Dara’a from entering the neighboring Quneitra province. Regime forces also launched a large-scale arrest campaign in the towns and villages of western rural Daraa’a.
A checkpoint manned by members of the Assad regime’s State Security in northern rural Dara’a prevented civilian buses from crossing to Quneitra province. According to local activists, the passengers of the buses were told to obtain a proof of ownership of property in towns and villages of Qunteitra province from Assad’s security apparatuses there to be allowed to enter the province.
Activists pointed out that the Assad regime’s checkpoints previously blocked access to the demilitarized zone adjacent to the occupied Golan Heights, with the ban now expanded to include the whole of Quneitra province.
The arrest campaign mainly targeted young men in the towns of Kafr Shams and the surrounding villages of Deir al-Adas, Deir al-Bakht and al-Sanamin on charges of belonging to the ISIS extremist group.
Assad regime forces earlier carried out similar arrests in the town of Atman in northern rural Dara’a and mainly targeted dozens of young men on charges of having ties to ISIS.
The Assad regime took similar punitive measures against residents of the town of Darayya west of Damascus who were displaced to Damascus. Resident of the town were prevented from entering the town of Zabadani unless they present a proof of owning property in the town or of having relatives living there. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)
