A man, identified as 25-year-old Abdullah Gazi al-Rwayyes, was killed on January 23, 2024, iduring a raid by gunmen affiliated with a local so-called Central Committee on a farm in al-Sa’ada area between the two cities of Tafas and Dael in western rural Daraa governorate. Additionally, three individuals were arrested in the raid, in which large quantities of narcotics found on the farm were seized. The area is under the control of Syrian regime forces.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) notes that the farm is used by Rafea al-Rwayees, as a headquarters from which he plans and launches his drug smuggling and trading operations.
The Central Committees are bodies established by former armed opposition leaders and local dignitaries in Daraa governorate following the settlement agreement with the regime in July 2018. The committees serve as representatives in the negotiations with the regime, as well as overseeing the implementation of the settlements.
SNHR is still trying to locate eyewitnesses to obtain more information about the incident. We call on the controlling forces to uphold their responsibilities for protecting civilians in their areas, to investigate this incident, and to make the investigation’s findings known to the public. Syria will never have true stability without a genuine political transition process towards democracy within a fixed timetable.
