Damascus Coup on ‘South Syria Deal’ Thwarted

(Monitor)

Military factions in Daraa have thwarted a proposal made by the Director of Intelligence, Major General Husam Louka, to stage a “coup” against the “South Syria Deal” struck between Russia, the US and Jordan in mid-2018, Syrian opposition sources said Thursday.

According to the sources, Louka proposed “the security services’ full recognition of the settlement agreement, in exchange for getting the people of Daraa join the compulsory army service within six days. Otherwise they will be considered deserters.”

“The aim of Damascus is to prepare for new battles waged by regime forces,” they said.

Separately, 16 people, including three Turkish soldiers, were killed in a car bomb explosion in the town of Ras al-Ain, which is under the control of Turkish forces and their loyal factions in northeastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Observatory said the car exploded at a checkpoint of the “Civil Police” and one of the fighting factions at the entrance to Ras al-Ain in the northern Hasakah governorate, resulting in the death of 16 people and leaving 12 others wounded.

The London-based watchdog said three Turkish soldiers were killed, but Turkey said two of its gendarmes died and a further eight were wounded.

The bombing also killed two civilians and 11 members of the police and the “Sultan Murad” faction.