Rebuilding Security in New Syria: Year 2, Week 33
Tracking the spread of new security forces and security incidents in post-Assad Syria from July 20 to July 26
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.
This week saw reduced violence compared to past weeks, though there was once again a shooting in Homs that left at least one woman dead and child injured. A woman was found dead in southern Tartous, though whether by suicide or murder is still unclear. Meanwhile, several security incidents occurred in Damascus and its countryside, including clashes between locals and security forces in western Damascus and a security operation to free six kidnapped Druze men in Beit Jinn.
Elsewhere, security forces conducted an anti-insurgent raid in rural Jableh, leaving two former regime soldiers dead, and three major anti-narcotics operations in Damascus and the Badia. Several ex-regime members were arrested this week, though not as many as in previous weeks. Minister of Interior Anas Khattab also hosted several foreign delegations throughout the week.