Tuesday 20 October 2020

Despite risks, Daraa youth flee to opposition-held areas in northern Syria

 












 'Southern Daraa province is witnessing the daily departure of dozens of young people towards the rebel-held areas in northern Syria to escape arbitrary arrests, physical liquidations, and security prosecutions that have hit most of Southern towns, targeting their youth, regardless of their affiliations and loyalties.

 Local activists pointed out that the people of the southern province strongly want again to flee from Daraa areas towards the "unknown", after the régime established its pillars in the various regions, and began to take revenge on the young people whom the Syrian régime still considers yesterday's enemies, despite their joining his auxiliary forces with all its names and directions.

 Well-informed sources said that dozens of young men leave the regions of Daraa towards Lebanon and the liberated north of Syria, daily, after the régime and some of its pro-parties began to encourage clandestine immigration of the youth group, with the aim of achieving material benefit through them on the one hand, and emptying the southern region of its youth to facilitate control over it on the other hand.

 Residents, after they felt let down by the major powers that are manipulating the fate of their province, and the whole region, according to their calculations and interests, became completely sure that their economic and living conditions will not change for the better.



 To clarify the size of the security disaster that the people of Daraa are experiencing under the Assad régime, the Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office counted 17 people killed and 11 others injured in 31 operations and assassination attempts in Daraa last September.

 The report indicated that 14 former fighters died and they were among the opposition factions (Free Syrian Army), 8 of whom joined the régime forces after controlling Daraa and subject to a settlement agreement in August 2018.

 Yasser. S, 31, a former FSA fighter, said that he cannot exercise his normal life since he settled with the régime and had to work on his agricultural land, noting that he lives in a state of constant concern and fear that his fate may be the fate of his companions, three of whom have been assassinated so far. Despite their settlement with the régime and their conversion to free civil work.

 He added that he is trying to secure a sum of money to escape from the region and exit to Lebanon or Turkey, despite the dangers of the road and the lack of safety, pointing out that the cost of travel to the liberated north or Lebanon ranges between $2000 and $3000.



 On the escape routes that are being taken out of Daraa, Ahmed.S, 28, familiar with smuggling methods, said most people flee through the so-called military routes of the régime.

 Pointing out that those who facilitate the passage of people through these roads and help secure those wishing to immigrate are officers from the "4th Armoured Division" or from the régime's intelligence services, or some taxi drivers associated with the régime's security.

 Activist Gamal Malek saied that most of the migrants who leave Daraa are between 18 and 40-year-old, and sometimes they include families and children.

 Malek pointed out that the military and reserve service in the régime forces, and the security pursuit, are among the most prominent reasons for expelling the people of the province and the strongest motives for emigration, in addition to many reasons for living and psychological pressure.'



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