8th Brigade decides to dissolve itself, hand over assets to Syrian MoD
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A source says Captain Mohammad al-Qadiri has been assigned to coordinate directly with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth transition and handover process.
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Soldiers from the 70th Division of the New Syrian Army cheer and raise their weapons at a military site in Damascus, Monday, March 24, 2025 (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
The so-called Eighth Brigade has decided to fully dissolve the formation, a source told local Syrian media on Sunday.
In the past couple of days, the Eighth Brigade faced backlash after its members targeted a former commander in the Free Syrian Army, Bilal al-Droubi, who died from wounds sustained as a result of the assault, which took place in the city of Busra al-Sham, in eastern Daraa province.
Al-Droubi was affiliated with the FSA prior to 2018 and had recently submitted a request to join Syria's Ministry of Defense forces.
Following the attack, General Security imposed a curfew in several neighborhoods of Busra al-Sham and reached an agreement with the Eighth Brigade to hand over those involved.
The source confirmed that the Eighth Brigade has decided to hand over all its military and human assets to the Syrian Ministry of Defense.
Captain Mohammad al-Qadiri has been assigned to coordinate directly with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth transition and handover process, the source added.
A video circulating on social media showed a member of the Brigade saying that the latest decision comes from "the formation's concern for national unity, strengthening security, and adherence to the state's sovereignty and authority."
He added that this step is considered "a new beginning to strengthen the homeland's path under the umbrella of the Syrian state."
Since the fall of the previous regime, Syria has witnessed daily clashes, security operations, and assassinations.
On Friday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Sheikh Mohammad al-Hajj Barakat, director of the Sharia Secondary School in the city of al-Safira in the southern Aleppo countryside, was assassinated.
Our correspondent said that an armed group cut off Sheikh Barakat and his son near the village of al-Waha, forcing him out of his car and shooting him more than 20 times, with bullets striking his head and chest.
Sheikh Barakat, a graduate of al-Azhar University, was widely known for his moderate approach and unifying discourse.
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