2025-03-05T17:56:43+00:00
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Shafaq News/ Intense clashes broke out on Wednesday in Al-Sanamayn, a city in northern Daraa province, as Syrian security forces launched a crackdown on a local armed group led by Mohsen Al-Haymad, according to Syrian media reports.
The operation was launched after an attack on a Public Security officer on Tuesday morning, allegedly carried out by Al-Haymad’s group. In anticipation of further unrest, authorities imposed a curfew overnight, following an incident in which three members of the group were killed and several others—including civilians—were injured by unidentified assailants.
Security Forces Tighten Grip on Al-Sanamayn
Syrian security forces surrounded the city’s western district, where Al-Haymad resides. He was previously affiliated with the Military Security Branch of the Syrian regime and is accused of leading a faction involved in assassinations, armed robberies, and extortion.
According to local reports, the Ministry of Defense has dispatched reinforcements after the group refused to surrender or negotiate a settlement. Security official Abdul-Razzaq Al-Khatib told local media that forces intervened after Tuesday’s clashes, which resulted in multiple casualties among combatants and civilians.
"Several security checkpoints were immediately set up, but one of them came under direct gunfire, injuring an internal security officer," he said.
Khatib added that the reinforcements are conducting raids on known hideouts of the armed group, with violent clashes still ongoing in the southwestern part of the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that government forces have blocked major roads in and around Al-Sanamayn to contain the violence.
Israeli Military Operations Expand in Southern Syria
Meanwhile, regional tensions escalated as Israeli forces advanced further into Syrian territory, reportedly blocking the road between Mashara in Quneitra and Al-Tiha in northern Daraa, according to Kurdistan 24.
Israeli forces deployed heavy machinery and carried out low-altitude drone surveillance, with reports of gunfire exchanges in the area. The Israeli Defense Ministry stated that its operations in Ein Zivan, located in the occupied Golan Heights, were focused on removing unexploded ordnance. In response, the French Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s presence in UN-monitored disengagement zones in southern Syria.
Wider Crackdown on Criminal Networks and Armed Factions
The security operation in Al-Sanamayn is also targeting drug traffickers, wanted individuals, and illegal arms depots, which have not been surrendered under Syria’s recent reconciliation agreements, according to local sources.
Reports from Al-Arabiya indicate that Al-Haymad’s group consists of approximately 200 fighters and was previously affiliated with the Syrian regime’s Military Security Branch.