Rebuilding Security in New Syria: Week 29

Tracking the spread of new security forces and security incidents in post-Assad Syria from June 23 to June 29

Announcements of security deployments mostly in western Syria, with an emphasis on the minority regions. This weekly update is intended to provide base level data for more holistic research into the rebuilding of the security and governance structures of post-Assad Syria. Direct links to primary sources are provided throughout.

• Aleppo

• Damascus

• Coast

• Homs

• Hama

Sectarian-motivated violence continues in Homs and Damascus, with frequent kidnappings and executions reported in the former, and infrequent but steady incidents of kidnappings and executions in the latter. This week also saw two serious attacks in Latakia governorate: the first was a drive-by shooting of a construction worker outside the Mar Taqla Church in the city. While many Latakian Christians and Sunnis were quick to down-play the attack as “targeting the worker”, others have told the author they believe the attackers were hoping to kill a church employee. The Latakia governor and security director met with the city’s Christian leaders a few days later. Later in the week, a drive by shooting along the Beit Yashout highway left two Alawite men dead. Activists here had earlier this month raised the alarm about the lack of security along this road.

Vigilante attacks continue to be largely focused in Aleppo for the second week in a row, though a rare assassination of an ex-regime militia fighter also took place in Idlib this week. Elsewhere, security forces have continued their now months-long campaign of steady arrests against ex-regime commanders. Security forces have also been able to arrest criminals, such as the ISIS cell which conducted last week’s Damascus bombing, and some kidnapping gangs responsible for the anti-Alawite executions.