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On June 3, Syrian authorities launched a reconciliation process in Daraa in an attempt to improve the security situation in the southern governorate.
The new reconciliation process offers amnesty for Daraa locals who are wanted for certain offenses, including avoiding military service. A reconciliation center was established in Daraa city. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency, the center will remain open until May 8.
Abdul Nasser al-Harir, a member of the People’s Assembly, said that the reconciliation process is an important step towards the recovery of Daraa.
“It will allow the civilian to return to his normal life, and the service member to return to his unit alongside his comrades,” al-Harir said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based pro-opposition monitoring group, revealed that more than 500 people joined the reconciliation process on its first day. The group also confirmed that authorities are removing the names of those who join the process from wanted lists.
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- Click to see full-size image.
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- Click to see full-size image.
Daraa returned to government control in 2018 following a large-scale military operation that ended with a Russian-sponsored reconciliation process. Since then, the situation in the governorate has been unstable.
Government forces launched several security operations and offered a number of follow-up reconciliation deals over the past four years to improve security. However, ISIS and other terrorist groups are still present in the governorate. Drug trafficking networks are also active there.
The new reconciliation process will help improve the situation in Daraa in the short term. However, it will not end key security threats in the governorate.
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