Rebuilding Security in New Syria: Year 2, Week 32
Tracking the spread of new security forces and security incidents in post-Assad Syria from July 13 to July 19
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 a continued trend of inter-family disputes escalating into significant violence across Aleppo, following three such instances last week. Several involved direct attacks against General Security forces and at least one bout of violence was centered around an ex-opposition family holding local security and military positions in northern Aleppo. These clashes underscore a major security challenge facing internal security forces going forward.
Elsewhere, vigilante and sectarian violence continued across Homs, Hama, Damascus, and Aleppo. Three ex-regime fighters were killed in Homs and Hama, and four Alawis were murdered in Homs and Damascus, among them a family of three. A prominent Sunni charity director was also murdered in his office in Homs City.
Security forces continue to arrest ex-regime members at the same high rate since April. At least nine men were arrested this week across Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Latakia. Several of the arrested men were reportedly linked to post-liberation crimes and killings in Latakia and Aleppo. The detained men include Sunnis and Alawis.