FILE IMAGE: Sputnik/ Iliya Pitalev.
Syrian pro-government forces in the governorate of al-Suwayda have neutralized an armed faction that worked with the US-led coalition.
On June 8, pro-government forces, with alleged support from the Military Intelligence Directorate (MID), launched a special operation to neutralize the faction, known as the Counter Terrorism Force (CTU).
The CTU was established in July of last year by Samer al-Hakim, supposedly to counter terrorists and drug traffickers in al-Suwayda. The faction also established a political wing called the Al Liwa Party. Syrian journalist Malik Abu Khair, who is based in France, was reportedly the mastermind behind the faction.
Samer al-Hakim. Click to see full-size image. Via Facebook.
The armed faction, who presented itself as a pro-democratic force, bragged about coordinating and cooperating with US-led coalition forces in the nearby al-Tanf garrison. With alleged support from the coalition, the faction recruited hundreds of local militants, set up a headquarters and training camps in the town of Khazme in the southeastern countryside of al-Suwayda and began conducting operations against what he claimed to be terrorists and drug traffickers working with Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Over the past year, the CTU abducted, tortured and in at least one case killed civilians. Very recently, the faction announced that it had handed over a local man he accused of cooperating with Hezbollah to US-led coalition forces in al-Tanf.
Official logo of the Al-Liwa Party. Click to see full-size image.
The faction also harassed government forces in an attempt to push them away from its areas of control. The decision to launch the operation against the CTU was taken after a vehicle of the MID was stolen by the faction’s militants.
During the operation, pro-government forces besieged the headquarters of the CTU in Khazme, then engaged in a battle with the faction’s militants.
Pro-government forces pushed CTU militants out from Khazme, before ambushing them some six kilometers to the southwest of the town of Imtan. The militants, who were reportedly trying to reach the US-led coalition’s garrison in al-Tanf, were all killed or captured.
Al-Hakim was among those who were killed in the ambush. His body was thrown by pro-government forces in the main square of al-Suwayda city early on June 9. A note with threats to other anti-government factions was pinned near the dead body.
In the last few years, several armed groups were formed in al-Suwayda under the pretext of protecting local Druze communities. While many of them indeed played this role, others became infamous for criminal activities or for working with foreign powers. This led to instability in the governorate.
The operation against the CTU indicate that pro-government forces in al-Suwayda have finally decided to take action against malignant actors in the governorate in order to restore security and stability.
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What a loss for human civilization. All that good “counterterrorism” work they were doing for the US occupiers.
GOOD RIDDANCE, perfectly executed by the Syrian govt, whole mercenary/terrorist cell liquidated in a single operation!
I wonder if they can spend those US dollars they got from their masters down in hell, do they accept $ as currency in Hell (what is there even to buy down there…)?
– If not, then it certainly wasn’t worth it to betray your country for US/Israeli interests.
Iranian-backed factions are also radical terrorists.
A layer of useful idiot security for the US base in Al-Tanf is gone. And hopefully soon the base itself. IMO, Syria has suffered enough of USadmin democracy and values.
Both the Iranian-backed groups and the American-backed groups are harassing Syrians. This is fact.
No it’s not. Saying ‘this is fact’ proves nothing, except your lack of arguments.
The US terrorist organisation always chooses titles for its proxy terror gangs that contradict reality, e.g, the Syrian Democratic Forces.
It is a US strategy demanded by the Khazar’s that control the US and also, the UK.
The US projection of their own sins onto innocent bystanders is a childlike strategy that most people do not comprehend, especially when the Khazer infested Western media is parroting the same Khazar disinformation.
Yes but why did Assad support them against Turkey?
Good news, Syrians have been at war and occupied for 11 years now but they’re still there and hopefully, they’re going to finally win
Great work continue on the good work Syria, keep pushing and moving towards the USA ILLEGAL BASES and force the issue the USA cannot strike against the Syrian army as this will then directly involve them with Russia, it is time to push the USA out of Syria for good and then EXTERMINATE the USA proxies in Syria once and for all and retake the oil fields the USA are stealing from. – Z –
USA and turkeys now relegated to a smaller territory in Syria—as their economies decline and Syrian resolve improves they will desperately attempt to revive their hyper inflated economies and leave syria entirely
Southfront is censoring comments exposing Iran, they are deleting my comments
Iran has legal transgenderism, child prostitution, polygamy, abortion, and is a disgusting satanic nation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mluAsZFy5Ls – transgenderism in iran since 1980
imgur.com/a/MDNMWsv – khomeini molesting kids is allowed