The Ministry of the Interior in Syria, in cooperation with the Military Operations Department, launched “a combing operation in the neighborhoods of the city of Homs in the center of the country in search of war criminals and those involved after they refused to surrender their weapons.”
According to SANA, “A security official said that the combing operation primarily targets war criminals and fugitives from justice, in addition to hidden ammunition and weapons.”
He added: “War criminals and those involved in crimes refused to hand over their weapons and visit settlement centers.”
The security official added: “The Ministry of Interior calls on the people in the Wadi al-Dhahab and Ikrimah neighborhoods not to go out to the streets and to stay in their homes, and to cooperate fully with our forces, until the combing campaign ends or our forces are allowed to roam.”
Suwayda: We will not allow any faction to enter our lands and are capable of managing and controlling our security
Bahaa al-Jamal, the operations leader of the Druze Unitarian sect in Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria, confirmed, “The sheikhdom of the governorate refused the entry of any armed faction into Suwayda, and warned against the governorate’s demand for federalism if it was subjected to any aggression.”
Al-Jammal said on Rudaw: “If we are subjected to any aggression or something is imposed on us as a governorate, we will demand federalism.”
Regarding their recent prevention of a force from the new Syrian administration entering the governorate, he said: “There was no coordination with any of the faction leaders in the operations room, nor with His Eminence Sheikh Al-Aql. We found that the time was inappropriate, and people were busy with New Year’s celebrations, so they entered by deceit and in a malicious way without telling anyone. We reject this matter.”
In a question about the parties supporting them, he said: “We depend on internal support from the governorate and we do not receive any external support, and we have not asked for it before. We only ask for the support of the people of the governorate, and we demand an international position to support the governorate.”
He added: “Some of the situations have not calmed down yet, and we do not know what might happen at the level of Syria in general. We do not allow any organization or any faction, no matter how large the number of its members, to interfere, as we have a presence and role in the south in general. Therefore, we do not allow “No one can impose any decision on us.”
He said: “Contact was made with the Sheikhdom of Al-Aql and Sheikh Abu Salman Hikmat Al-Hijri, and their response was rejection, as they confirmed that at the present time they will not allow anyone to interfere. We have capabilities and military leaders capable of managing and controlling security, and for this reason we are adhering to our position.”
In response to a question about “the possibility of a fight breaking out with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham,” he replied: “No!” We do not go to battles and we do not seek to shed blood, but if something becomes imposed on us, we will carry out revolution upon revolution. This is something we are not thinking about currently, but if something is imposed on us, yes, we are ready to carry out revolution without any hesitation.”
He concluded: “We do not allow anyone to enter the mountain lands to impose anything on us, whether from this side or another, and we will never call for bloodshed.”
The French Foreign Minister visits Damascus
Al Arabiya reported that French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will visit Syria very soon.
A French diplomatic delegation visited Damascus on December 17, 2024, the first visit in 12 years, in order to stress Paris’s desire to stand by the Syrian people after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
A third Saudi aid plane arrives at Damascus airport
“The third relief plane within a Saudi air bridge operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center arrived at Damascus airport today, carrying food, shelter and medical supplies.”
This comes within “the framework of the humanitarian role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided by the King Salman Relief Center to assist brotherly and friendly countries in various tribulations and crises, and as an extension of the Kingdom’s established approach to supporting charitable and humanitarian work around the world.”
During the past hours, two relief planes arrived at Damascus International Airport as part of the Saudi air bridge operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center to help the Syrian people.
Two killed in tribal clashes in Daraa
On Thursday, Syrian media reported that two people were killed and a number of wounded as a result of tribal clashes in Daraa in the south of the country.
The “Daraa 24” news website stated on its Facebook page that “the clashes that broke out on Wednesday night between members of the Bedouin clans as a result of an old dispute in Al-Safia in the city of Izraa in the central countryside of Daraa led to two deaths in addition to three wounded.”
He added, “The two dead men were leading armed groups accused of committing violations against the people, including blocking the road and paralyzing them,” noting that the clashes stopped after the intervention of forces from the Military Operations Department.
Syria TV reported on Thursday that “armed clashes have been continuing for more than a day between Bedouin families.”
He added that the Military Operations Department entered Izraa to pursue the remnants of the regime fleeing the settlement process, pointing out that the city of Izraa was not subject to opposition forces during the years of the revolution and remained a security center affiliated with the former Syrian regime.
Clarification from the Minister of Education
The Minister of Education in the new Syrian administration, Nazir al-Qadri, said, “The curricula in all schools in Syria are still in place until specialized committees are formed to review and audit the curricula.”
Al-Qadri added: “We were directed only to delete anything related to what glorifies the “defunct Assad regime,” and we adopted images of the flag of the Syrian revolution instead of the flag of the defunct regime in all school textbooks. What was announced was an amendment to some of the false information that the defunct Assad regime adopted in the Islamic education curriculum. Such as explaining some Qur’anic verses in an incorrect way, so we adopted their correct explanation as stated in the interpretation books for all levels of study.”
A message from the Damascus Embassy to Syrians returning from Egypt
The Syrian Embassy in Cairo issued “guidance to Syrians residing in Egypt who wish to return to their country and do not hold valid passports.”
The embassy said in a Facebook post that it “will not be able to issue new passports “for technical reasons under the current circumstances,” so it will provide free transit tickets to individuals who do not have valid passports.”
The embassy stated in its publication: “In response to repeated questions from fellow citizens who wish to return to Syria and do not have valid passports, the embassy would like to clarify the possibility of granting them free passage tickets to return to Syria.”
She continued: “Obtaining a traffic ticket is done on the same day without a prior appointment and requires bringing a personal proof document and two personal photos.”
Last updated: January 2, 2025 – 17:14
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