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The Syrian Police and security force removed fifteen checkpoints from several areas inside and around the Syrian capital of Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on June 13.
According to Syrian pro-government activists, the step is aimed at easing the movement of the civilians in the Syrian capital. The Damascus government has been willing to take this step for a long time. However, only now after securing the city suburbs such decision become possible.
The SOHR and Syrian pro-government sources said that in the upcoming weeks more checkpoints will be removed. Most of the checkpoints around the city are expected to be removed once the reconciliation processes in the Eastern Ghouta region and in southern Damascus are over in the last quarter of this year.
While most activists welcomed the removal of the checkpoints, many others warned that the remaining cells of groups like ISIS and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) around Damascus may take advantage of this step and carry out terrorist attacks.
On May 21, the General Command of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) announced in an official statement that security was restored in the governorate of Damascus after defeating the last pocket of ISIS. Since then, the Damascus government has started taking additional steps to restore normal life in the city and its suburbs.
