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Security Campaign in Homs Countryside: Increasing Tensions on the Border with Lebanon
The Operations Administration launched a security campaign in the western countryside of Homs, near the border with Lebanon, where security forces raided the village of Al-Rabwa, known as Dlabouz, amid reports of arrests targeting citizens and residents in the area.
This campaign comes amid ongoing security activities in Homs Province, coinciding with a rise in security violations, smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as an increase in incidents of murder, theft, and clashes involving light and medium weapons.
Yesterday, the Operations Administration released the majority of those detained from the town of Al-Ghor Al-Gharbi in the northwestern countryside of Homs, one hour after their arrest during operations focused on confiscating weapons and capturing wanted individuals.
Details indicate that security forces backed by tanks and armored vehicles entered the town of Al-Ghor Al-Gharbi, which has a Shiite majority, to conduct a search campaign for weapons and wanted individuals. Residents praised the ethics and treatment of the security forces' personnel; however, local armed groups exploited the operation to carry out their personal vendettas, resulting in the execution of four civilians with gunshots to the head, as well as the deaths of others accused of engaging with security personnel, despite local sources denying any actual clashes occurred.
It is noteworthy that this operation was part of the efforts of the Operations Administration to pursue remnants of the previous regime and to apprehend wanted individuals and smugglers to restore security in the border area.
Nevertheless, the search operations and arrests have been accompanied by violations including physical and verbal assaults against civilians, increasing the state of fear among residents, particularly women and children.
On January 16, armed groups, identifying themselves as linked to the Operations Administration, stormed the villages of Jbourin and Qunait Al-Asi in the Homs countryside, instilling terror in the hearts of residents and arresting dozens of civilians and former military personnel who had undergone settlements, taking them to unknown locations near the Orontes River, raising fears about the outcomes of these arrests and their uncertain fate.
