Protests erupt in Syria to demand release of detained soldiers
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Families of detained soldiers protested in several Syrian cities demanding the release of relatives held without trial in Syrian prisons.
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A Syrian fighter, left, gives an address while activists gather at the Umayyad square during a protest to demand a secular state, in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 (AP)
Families of detained soldiers protested in Damascus on Saturday, demanding the release of their relatives held in Adra, Hama, and Harem prisons without trial. Similar demonstrations took place in Jableh and Latakia.
Protesters called for transparency regarding the fate of missing detainees and urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to intervene with Syrian authorities on their behalf.
Raising banners condemning the ongoing detentions, demonstrators insisted on the release of those not implicated in violent crimes, citing past cases where settlements led to prisoner releases.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that similar protests erupted in Tartus earlier this month, with growing public frustration over indefinite detentions and the lack of legal resolutions.
Renewed protests
The Wall Street Journal reported in December that Syria's new government forces, led by Ahmad al-Shaara, face several problems, including fighting with former government supporters and demonstrations over the destruction of religious artifacts.
A Syria conflict monitoring group reported that 17 people were killed in late December in clashes in Tartus Province, following an attempt by security forces to arrest an officer who served under the government of ousted President Bashar al-Assad, who was allegedly associated with a notorious prison.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that "14 members of the General Security force" under Syria's new authorities were killed, along with "three armed men" in Khirbet al-Maaza, bringing the death toll up from an earlier count of nine. The forces were attempting to arrest an officer who was among "those responsible for the crimes at Sednaya prison."
A day earlier, a demonstration in Masyaf, in northwestern Hama, condemned the killing of three judges from the Alawite sect. Protesters called for unity and accountability for those responsible. During the protest, foreign armed individuals attempted to forcibly disperse the crowd, sparking tension, which led local elders to step in to prevent clashes. The judges were killed at the Rabia-Masyaf junction amid ongoing unrest across Syria.
Additionally, a video surfaced showing armed men attacking the Alawite sect's shrine in Aleppo, resulting in the deaths of five attendants, the mutilation of their bodies, and the shrine's destruction. The video was later claimed to be from a prior incident before the fall of Assad's regime.
