Syria: Faylaq Al-Rahman Joins Ghouta Truce

A Syrian fighter from Faylaq al-Rahman fires a weapon in Ain Terma, in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel stronghold east of the capital Damascus, July 17, 2017. AFP/ABDULMONAM EASSA
A Syrian fighter from Faylaq al-Rahman fires a weapon in Ain Terma, in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel stronghold east of the capital Damascus, July 17, 2017. AFP/ABDULMONAM EASSA
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Syria: Faylaq Al-Rahman Joins Ghouta Truce

A Syrian fighter from Faylaq al-Rahman fires a weapon in Ain Terma, in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel stronghold east of the capital Damascus, July 17, 2017. AFP/ABDULMONAM EASSA
A Syrian fighter from Faylaq al-Rahman fires a weapon in Ain Terma, in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel stronghold east of the capital Damascus, July 17, 2017. AFP/ABDULMONAM EASSA

Beirut- Faylaq Al-Rahman accepted on Friday to join the de-escalation agreement in the eastern suburbs of Damascus after signing a deal with Russia to halt hostilities as of 9 pm and to lift the siege of eastern Ghouta.

“Following three days of negotiations with the Russian side, an agreement was signed to stop fighting as of 18/8/2017 at 21:00 Damascus time,” the group, one of the largest factions operating under the Free Army in Jobar and Ghouta, said in a statement.

It said the ceasefire deal includes lifting the siege of eastern Ghouta

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday signing a deal with Faylaq al-Rahman in the de-escalation zone of eastern Ghouta province.

A statement issued by the ministry said the deal was signed in Geneva, adding that the opposition group would refrain from launching attacks against diplomatic missions in Damascus, including the Russian embassy.  

The de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta is one of four zones of a plan approved in May by Russia, Turkey and Iran to stipulate a cessation of hostilities over designated areas.

Details of the de-escalation agreement would be announced in a press conference scheduled for next Monday.

“We promise the Syrian people to protect the principles of the Revolution in all our political works and military confrontations, until we see a free and dignified Syria,” the Faylaq said in the statement.

Separately, regime forces controlled on Friday four new gas fields and tightened the grip on ISIS militants in the center of the eastern desert.

As a response, ISIS militants launched a counter-attack while battles raged between the two sides on Friday night at the crossing of Maksar al-Hissan and Jab al-Jarah in the countryside of eastern Homs, leaving a number of casualties on both sides.



Damascus Says Israel Arrested Civilians During Beit Jin Raid

Residents sit outside their house in the Beit Jin village, southern Syria, where Israeli troops made a pre-dawn raid, arresting several alleged members of Hamas, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP)
Residents sit outside their house in the Beit Jin village, southern Syria, where Israeli troops made a pre-dawn raid, arresting several alleged members of Hamas, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP)
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Damascus Says Israel Arrested Civilians During Beit Jin Raid

Residents sit outside their house in the Beit Jin village, southern Syria, where Israeli troops made a pre-dawn raid, arresting several alleged members of Hamas, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP)
Residents sit outside their house in the Beit Jin village, southern Syria, where Israeli troops made a pre-dawn raid, arresting several alleged members of Hamas, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP)

A source at the Syrian Interior Ministry denied Israeli claims that its forces had arrested Palestinian Hamas members during a raid on the southern village of Beit Jin in the early hours of Thursday.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the detainees were civilians and not affiliated with any party.

Saleh Daher, a resident of Beit Jin, told Asharq Al-Awsat the Israeli soldiers entered the village at 2:40 am on Thursday.

“We were awakened by the sound of gunfire,” he revealed. A unit of dozens of soldiers were raiding the village, while ten tanks were stationed at its entrance.

The forces surrounded the houses of the people they wanted to arrest, calling out their names on loudspeakers. They detained seven people, continued Daher.

One person, who is known in the village for having a mental disability, attempted to stop the soldiers, who shot and killed him, he said.

The soldiers left at 4:15 am after detaining the people they were after.

Daher said they were all Syrian natives of the village and used to be members of armed opposition groups that rose up against the Bashar al-Assad's ousted regime.

Sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat the names of the detainees: Amer al-Badawi, Mamoun al-Saadi, Ahmed al-Safadi, Mohammed al-Safadi, Hassan al-Safadi, Mohammed Badi Hamadeh and Ali Qassem Hamadeh.

Daher said he and his family had returned to Beit Jin in 2018 and that they never noticed any behavior by the detainees that they were working against Israel.

Israel had previously assassinated three residents of the village. They too were members of armed factions.

Moreover, Daher said he hasn’t noticed any activity by residents that indicate that they are members of or associated with Palestinian factions.

The Israeli army said it detained Hamas members during the Beit Jin raid and that they were planning attacks against it.

They have been taken to Israel for investigation. The army also said it discovered weapons in the area.

Syrian media confirmed the arrest of seven people and death of one person during the raid.

Since the fall of Assad’s government in early December, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army.

Tensions ticked up in early June after projectiles were fired from Syria towards Israel. Israel retaliated with its first strikes in nearly a month.

On June 8, Israel carried out a strike on the outskirts of Beit Jin on what it described as a Hamas member.

A resident of the village denied the claim, saying Israel targeted a youth called Anas Abboud and that he was a former member of a Syrian opposition armed group.