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Russian Roadmap to End Violence Escalation in Daraa, Restore Executive Power to Damascus

A Russian military vehicle in Daraa, southern Syria (Naba News Agency)
A Russian military vehicle in Daraa, southern Syria (Naba News Agency)
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Russian Roadmap to End Violence Escalation in Daraa, Restore Executive Power to Damascus

A Russian military vehicle in Daraa, southern Syria (Naba News Agency)
A Russian military vehicle in Daraa, southern Syria (Naba News Agency)

The Russian roadmap to end a military escalation in Syria’s southern governorate of Daraa included several items including restoring executive authorities in the provincial capital city, also named Daraa, and forming committees for disarming and withdrawing the weapons and ammunition of opposition fighters.

Daraa regional leaders are divided over the clauses put forth by the Russian proposal, local sources reported.

The plan to end violence in the southern region peacefully, which Asharq Al-Awsat obtained a paper copy of, included forming a joint center to monitor the situation in Daraa and implement the roadmap’s stipulation.

At the center, representatives from both the Russian and Syrian defense ministries and security and intelligence officers will work together to ensure that the implementation of the roadmap is on track. Moreover, the roadmap’s clauses involved reopening police stations in Daraa and organizing joint Russian-Syrian patrols around the city.

Militants who have no desire to leave Daraa will be asked to head to a settlement center to sort out their status. However, this stipulation does not cover ISIS and al-Nusra Front militants. Army draft deserters will also have their status settled to guarantee that authorities will not pursue them in the future.

The return of official authorities and local administrations to villages and towns that recently witnessed conflict is also one of the clauses mentioned in the Russian roadmap. According to the roadmap, authorities will search for fugitives wanted by the regime and who have not settled their personal status yet.

Searches will also be conducted for weapons and ammunition depots. Joint patrols mounted by Russian military police and intelligence officers will monitor neighborhoods to ensure that the terms of the agreement are not violated. As for government agencies, the roadmap requires they secure the conditions needed for declaring amnesty for ex-militants.

They must also work with local administration agencies to rehabilitate social buildings such as schools, mosques, and water and electricity stations.

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Hamas Comes Under Pressure in Lebanon

The Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, issued a recommendation to the government to warn Hamas against using Lebanese territory for any actions that undermine national security (Lebanese Presidency)
The Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, issued a recommendation to the government to warn Hamas against using Lebanese territory for any actions that undermine national security (Lebanese Presidency)
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Hamas Comes Under Pressure in Lebanon

The Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, issued a recommendation to the government to warn Hamas against using Lebanese territory for any actions that undermine national security (Lebanese Presidency)
The Supreme Defense Council, chaired by President Joseph Aoun, issued a recommendation to the government to warn Hamas against using Lebanese territory for any actions that undermine national security (Lebanese Presidency)

Relations between Hamas and the Lebanese state have entered a critical phase not seen since the country’s civil war era. In a rare and direct move, Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council on Friday named Hamas in an official warning, cautioning the group against using Lebanese territories to conduct activities that threaten national security.

The warning follows rocket attacks in March, allegedly launched by Hamas operatives toward Israel from southern Lebanon, and signals a turning point in Beirut’s handling of the longstanding issue of Palestinian arms.

The issue is expected to dominate discussions during the upcoming visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Beirut on May 21. Lebanese authorities are reportedly preparing to demand that Hamas hand over individuals implicated in the rocket attacks.

Hamas officials in Lebanon declined to comment immediately, but sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that an official statement from the group is forthcoming.

Last month, the Lebanese army said it had identified those responsible for the March 22 and 28 rocket launches, revealing a cell composed of Lebanese and Palestinian nationals. Subsequent raids led to several arrests and the seizure of equipment used in the attacks. Security sources later confirmed the detention of three Hamas members - two Palestinians and one Lebanese.

Analysts and insiders believe Hamas now finds itself increasingly isolated in Lebanon. According to Palestinian political analyst Hisham Debassy, the group has little choice but to comply with Lebanese demands, including potentially disarming.

“The Defense Council’s position marks a serious and strategic shift,” said Debassy. “It sends a strong political message not just to Hamas but to any non-state actor operating militarily on Lebanese soil.”

Debassy described Hamas as being at a crossroads. “Either it cooperates with Lebanese authorities by handing over wanted individuals and signaling respect for state sovereignty, or it continues down a path of confrontation, an option that carries significant political and security costs.”

He noted that Hamas currently lacks the internal cohesion and public support to take a defiant stance. Internal divisions have grown between factions aligned with Iran and others favoring political reintegration within the broader Muslim Brotherhood framework.

Political analyst Dr. Qassem Qassir said Hamas’ leadership, based largely in Qatar, remains mindful of Lebanon’s fragile security. “Hamas doesn’t want to endanger Lebanon,” he said, adding that the group is likely to act cautiously given the broader regional context.

Meanwhile, Abbas’ visit is seen as an opportunity to reshape Palestinian-Lebanese relations and advance state authority in Palestinian camps. Lebanese officials are seeking a roadmap, backed by the Palestinian Authority, that could lead to the phased dismantling of weapons in refugee camps, following similar efforts targeting pro-Syrian Palestinian factions in the Bekaa and Naameh regions.

Hamas’ presence in Lebanon had traditionally been limited to social and political activities. But its military footprint began to emerge after a 2022 explosion in the Burj al-Shemali camp. Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, Hamas’s armed wing has become more active in southern Lebanon, coordinating with Hezbollah in launching attacks on Israel, further complicating its position with Lebanese authorities.