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 several individual murders across Idlib, Damascus, and Hama governorates. All victims were Sunnis, highlighting the reality that street violence impacts every Syrian community. Meanwhile, security forces arrested several murder suspects from recent and older crimes, as well as continuing the trend of weekly arrests against theft and drug gangs. Most notably, this week saw the arrest of a former opposition commander from western Homs on accusations of impersonating security forces to commit crimes.
The most significant security operation this week occurred in northern Damascus, where security forces conducted a large raid against a suspected ISIS cell. The raid turned deadly, with two security members and five ISIS members killed. It also resulted in considerable controversy, with locals insisting the killed and detained men were former rebel fighters, not ISIS members.