The city of Binnish has seen an intense period of unrest and violence over the past ten days, culminating in a resolution between the Syrian Salvation Government’s (SSG) regional administration, city notables, and protest leaders.
The turmoil began after a demonstration following Friday prayers on July 5, calling for the ousting of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani and the release of detainees. The protest, part of a larger movement persisting for months, escalated when HTS forces arrested Hussam Miteb Hamada, known as Abu Raad al-Homsi, one of the demonstration’s organizers.
In response, protesters marched to the city’s police station to demand his release. Clashes broke out between police and demonstrators, each accusing the other of instigating the incident, in which several police cars were vandalized and burned, and both protesters and police were injured.
Amid these tensions, the protest movement was accused of attempting to assassinate a Binnish administrative official, Abu Fadel. The attack on his car with gunfire was captured on CCTV, leading to the arrest of the perpetrators, who were later disavowed by the protest movement.
The authorities responded to these events with significant military reinforcements, deploying dozens of cars and armored vehicles throughout Binnish. This led to an arrest campaign targeting eight civilians, which only fueled further unrest. Local religious leaders and preachers resigned in protest against HTS’s actions.
Despite a temporary reduction in force, security forces maintained a heavy presence, with security barriers erected across the city. The group’s continued arrests, even as city notables sought to mediate, heightened the already volatile situation.
On Tuesday evening, protests erupted again after a woman demonstrator was struck by a car driven by Bilal Haj Hashem, who some on social media claimed was an HTS security officer. The woman had been protesting for her father’s release, who had been detained for participating in demonstrations. The incident, widely circulated in a video, provoked massive demonstrations demanding justice and the removal of HTS leader al-Jolani.
However, Bilal Haj Hashem and his family dispute his association with HTS. According to an audio message from his brother, Hashem was driving by the protest and began filming the events when demonstrators started attacking his vehicle, leading him to hit the woman while trying to flee the scene.
In response to the incident, the Central Region Administration of the SSG issued a statement. “We are following up on the incident of running over a woman with a car in front of the Binnish administrative building,” it read. “The driver was arrested, and an urgent investigation was opened by the Ministry of Interior to uncover the circumstances of the accident.”
Central Region Police Commander, Captain Jumaa Al-Youssef, confirmed the arrest and investigation, stating, “After we were informed of the incident of running over one of the sisters in front of the region’s administration building in the city of Binnish, we mobilized our police and security forces to arrest the person who caused the incident. In light of that, the person took the initiative to surrender himself, and an investigation was opened with him immediately, and he will be referred to the judiciary to receive due process.”
Following intense negotiations, an agreement was announced on Wednesday by the SSG’s Central Region Administration. The accord involves the release of all detainees arrested in connection with the recent events and the withdrawal of security forces and barriers from Binnish. Additionally, all forms of movement and demonstrations in the city are to be suspended for three months, with the implementation of demands monitored by city dignitaries, including the judicial process and prosecutions. Both sides agreed to halt all media incitement.
Sheikh Saria Al-Sayed, the imam of the main mosque in Binnish, emphasized the need for unity and thanked all parties for their efforts in reaching the agreement. “Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, today we met with the brothers in the Central Region Administration to resolve the recent incident or the recent events in the city, and praise be to God, an agreement was reached,” Al-Sayed stated. He added that the agreement includes provisions for holding accountable those responsible for the assault on the woman during the demonstration.
The agreement marks a tentative end to the recent turmoil in Binnish, but the underlying tensions and demands of the population remain a significant challenge for the SSG and HTS.
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