Syrians are being warned not to return to areas controlled by the Assad regime, following the mass arrest of nearly 200 civilians, including women and children, by Assad regime security forces. The arrests took place last Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the Baghdad Bridge checkpoint near Damascus, as the detainees returned from liberated territories in northwestern Syria.
Local networks reported that those detained were primarily from Damascus and its surrounding areas, particularly Eastern Ghouta, including towns like Douma and Harasta. The civilians were reportedly returning from visiting relatives in liberated regions. The incident has raised alarms across Syria’s liberated territories, where residents fear similar fates if they return to areas under Assad’s control.
The detained civilians were part of a group that had traveled through a route crossing areas controlled by the regime, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and revolutionary factions. The trip, which started in regime-held areas and passed through Manbij, eventually reached northwestern Syria, under revolutionary administration. Transport companies organize these weekly trips, but passengers must pass through multiple checkpoints, including those controlled by the Assad regime, creating significant risk.
On their return journey, five out of six buses carrying civilians were stopped at the Baghdad Bridge checkpoint near Damascus. It remains unclear whether any of the detainees have been released, with relatives refusing to comment due to security concerns.
Following the arrests, the Liberation and Construction Movement, a prominent faction within the Syrian National Army (SNA), issued a stark warning to Syrians against believing regime propaganda encouraging returns to Assad-occupied areas. In a statement, the movement described the Assad regime’s tactics as misleading, promoting a false sense of security and stability.
“We call upon our revolutionary people not to be dragged behind the propaganda of the criminal Assad gang and its allies, which encourages a return to areas controlled by the regime under the pretext of security, safety, and stability,” the statement read.
The movement also reminded Syrians of the regime’s brutal history of violating international and local laws, accusing it of treating returning civilians as “enemies,” subjecting them to detention, hunger, and humiliation. “Do not be deceived by the false rumors and fake news spread by those promoting the rehabilitation of the greatest criminal,” the group added.
Reports indicated that the detainees came from various towns in Eastern Ghouta, many of which had experienced harsh treatment from the Assad regime in the past. The families of detainees, both in liberated and occupied areas, have refused to speak publicly, hoping that silence might lead to the release of their loved ones. Human rights groups have long documented mass detentions, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings by the Assad regime, particularly among those perceived as having sympathies with the opposition.
