Ex-FSA commander shot in Busra al-Sham amid tensions over defections
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A former Free Syrian Army commander has been seriously wounded in a shooting in eastern Daraa province, as tensions rise over the reintegration of former opposition fighters into Syrian government ranks.
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A member of the new Syrian security forces walks into a military headquarters that belonged to the al-Assad government in Nawa, near Daraa, Syria, on January 4, 2025. (AP)
A former commander in the Free Syrian Army, Bilal al-Droubi, sustained serious injuries in a shooting in the city of Busra al-Sham in eastern Daraa province, a local source in Syria told Al Mayadeen. The source of the gunfire remains unknown, and reports suggest two others accompanying him were also injured.
According to the source, al-Droubi was affiliated with the Free Syrian Army prior to 2018 and had recently submitted a request to join Syria's Ministry of Defense forces.
The same source added that contrary to media claims, the city did not witness clashes—only a brief incident of gunfire. Following the shooting, security forces were deployed across several streets in Busra al-Sham, and a curfew was imposed.
Eighth Brigade accused of involvement in assassination attempt
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that security forces launched an operation in parallel with their deployment in the city, resulting in the serious injury of three individuals, including a former commander in opposition factions. All three were transferred to a hospital.
According to the Observatory, residents of Busra al-Sham accused members and the leadership of the Eighth Brigade of attempting to assassinate and detain individuals who had recently joined the Ministry of Defense, though no further details were provided.
Separately, Diya al-Qurali, head of the "Izraa" security branch in Daraa province, told SANA that security patrols had carried out a successful raid on a suspected warehouse between Daraa and Atman. Acting on precise intelligence, forces discovered and seized a cache of rockets and mortar shells that had allegedly been stored for black market sale. The perpetrators reportedly fled the scene before the patrol arrived.
No agreement with Damascus, ready to fight: Druze spiritual leader
Separately, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria, announced on Thursday that there is no agreement between the Druze and the Damascus government, and fighters in Suwayda are prepared to engage in combat and repel government forces if necessary.
Al-Hijri explained that "talks with the Damascus government are ongoing, but the difficulty in reaching an agreement is evident", adding that "armed terrorist factions now see themselves as the de facto authority in Damascus—a situation that is unacceptable both to Syrians and the international community" in an interview with NPR on Thursday.
Sheikh al-Hijri stressed that the Druze forces, which have maintained security in Suwayda, "will remain as they are", continuing to control the province’s borders with Syrian government-held territories—adding that they "are mobilizing fighters and preparing defenses to repel government forces if needed."
He affirmed that the Druze are not looking for any foreign intervention "because this is a transitional stage and a dangerous point," noting that bloodshed always leads to more bloodshed, and the Druze "refuse sectarianism and want a civil state."
Earlier, al-Hijri condemned Syria's interim government, stating that its recently announced constitution was drafted by a handpicked committee designed to consolidate power for a single ruler rather than establish genuine democracy.
Al-Hijri blasted the interim government for unilateral decision-making, excluding meaningful participation, and dismissing the National Dialogue Conference as a rushed, five-hour formality that produced recycled, disappointing outcomes.
He criticized the administration for failing to develop proper state institutions while continuing to disregard public demands and the original objectives of the revolution.
The spiritual leader voiced alarm over the current climate, characterizing it as unstable and artificial – a manufactured facade propped up by hollow rhetoric meant to project false unity internationally. He also condemned the administration's personnel decisions, citing the installation of incompetent leaders alongside the capricious removal of experienced officials across government institutions.
Sheikh al-Hijri reiterated his openness to cooperation for national stability but demanded immediate course corrections - including scrapping the current constitution and establishing a legitimate democratic framework representing all Syrians.
