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Signs of Conflict and Escalating Tensions Between Public Security and the Fifth Corps in Daraa
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Intensified security presence in areas controlled by the Fifth Corps indicates a strategic shift in the region's power balance, warning of a potential conflict over control and influence in a province
Groups affiliated with the Fifth Corps in the towns of Sayda and Al-Hirak in eastern rural Daraa have begun surrendering themselves and their military equipment to Public Security forces, which have recently deployed heavily in the area, in what appears to be a preemptive move amid increasing indicators of imminent score-settling.
These rapid developments raise serious questions about the motives behind this sudden movement and its timing, especially with no previous signs of reconciliation or agreement between the parties.
This coincided with a widespread arrest campaign in the town of Al-Jiza targeting members of the Fifth Corps, in a move that indicates an unprecedented escalation in confrontation between the two sides. This campaign may just be the beginning of a larger operation aimed at undermining the Fifth Corps' influence in areas that have been considered their untouchable strongholds for years.
Public Security in the town of Jbab issued a short deadline of maximum two hours, demanding all Fifth Corps members surrender their weapons to the town's police station, while imposing a curfew and requiring residents to stay in their homes. Their announcement warned of legal prosecution for anyone who fails to comply with these instructions. Giving such a short deadline with threats of prosecution reflects a deliberately escalatory approach that may push the other party into a critical corner, forcing them to either confront or surrender.
Public Security convoys continue to position themselves in most areas and towns surrounding Busra al-Sham, the main stronghold of the Fifth Corps, in a clear strategy to encircle this military formation. This gradual siege of Busra al-Sham paints a grim picture of potential imminent clashes, especially with the continued flow of reinforcements and no signs of de-escalation or dialogue.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported hours ago that Public Security convoys have spread in the town of Al-Sahwa near Busra al-Sham, while another military convoy arrived in Al-Jiza. This systematic deployment appears to be a gradual tightening of security around the Fifth Corps' areas of influence, reminiscent of previous military tactics in the region that ended in open confrontations.
These movements were accompanied by directives issued by Public Security Administration and the Ministry of Defense through mosque loudspeakers in the town of Sayda in eastern rural Daraa, demanding the immediate surrender of all weapons belonging to the Fifth Corps.
The use of mosques and loudspeakers to deliver warnings reflects a desire to send a firm and public message, adding a psychological dimension to the increasing pressure on Fifth Corps elements and their sympathizers.
This escalation comes a day after security and military forces spread throughout the streets of Busra al-Sham and imposed a curfew, alongside an attack by security forces targeting a group of Ministry of Defense personnel, resulting in three people being seriously injured, including a former leader of anti-regime factions, all of whom were taken to the hospital.
As events escalate, fears grow that the region may slip into a new cycle of violence that could undermine years of fragile stability achieved with difficulty.
Residents of Busra al-Sham have accused Fifth Corps elements and leadership of attempting to assassinate and arrest elements who joined the Ministry of Defense, without providing details about the nature of these accusations or evidence supporting them.
This exchange of accusations increases the intensity of social polarization and pushes local residents to line up behind one side against the other, threatening to transform any potential conflict into a dispute with deeper social roots that will be difficult to contain in the future.
