When Syria’s new authorities put out a name on social media for troopers and police to put down their arms and register with the authorities, Kamal Merhej was completely satisfied to oblige.
“I do not like the military, I need to get again on observe with my life with out anybody to present me orders,” the 28-year-old instructed AFP.
He spent 9 years within the military, posted to the capital Damascus, and stated he was now completely satisfied to be again in his residence metropolis of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.
Latakia is situated within the heartland of former president Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite sect, and Merhej was amongst a number of hundred servicemen ready to register with the nation’s new rulers.
Assad was ousted after a lightning offensive spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that wrested from his management metropolis after metropolis till the rebels reached Damascus.
After the military fled the offensive, Syria’s new rulers introduced an amnesty for conscripts whereas vowing to convey individuals who had dedicated critical crimes to justice.
Now, the interim authorities is registering former conscripts and troopers and asking them handy over their weapons.
After beginning the method within the central metropolis of Homs on Saturday, they arrange places of work in Latakia on Sunday.
Some 400 males confirmed up on the primary day, in response to 26-year-old Mohammed Mustafa, a fighter from the insurgent stronghold of Idlib who was overseeing the operation.
“However there will likely be extra right this moment (Monday), we now have drafted in additional workers to hurry up operations,” he stated.
– Permits for defense –
The lads entered one after the other, their identification playing cards in hand, and every took a quantity.
They stood subsequent to the wall, had their images shortly snapped on smartphones, earlier than being directed to a financial institution of desks the place they gave extra particulars.
By mid-morning, the quantity was already at 671.
“In whole, we predict a minimum of 10,000 individuals, possibly extra… we’re within the area of the Assads,” stated Mustafa, wearing fatigues, a black cap and face masks.
He stated the operation was working easily.
“We challenge them a three-month allow for his or her safety and to present us time to analyze their previous,” he stated.
“If we discover critical crimes they are going to be transferred to the judicial authorities.”
Troopers, police and some civilians got here to give up their weapons and in return they got receipts.
A white-haired man approached the window and unpacked a veritable arsenal from plastic baggage earlier than leaving together with his receipt.
Pistols, computerized rifles, ammunition, grenades and even a grenade launcher packed right into a rubbish bag piled up behind the room.
– ‘Uninterested in conflict’ –
Like others within the queue, police officer Mohammed Fayoub stated he needed to get registered as quickly as attainable.
Clutching the receipt for the pistol he handed in, the 37-year-old, initially from Latakia, stated he hoped to return to his job in Hama in central Syria.
“They behave nicely, they attempt to be well mannered. I need to be prepared once they name me,” he stated of the brand new administration.
“We’re all people, all Syrians.”
There have been nods of settlement from others ready within the queue.
“We’re bored with the conflict. We need to dwell in a peaceable, civilised nation,” stated a younger man.
He lowered his voice to say he belonged to the Alawite minority, the identical group because the Assad household.
“We’d like safety, solely safety,” he stated.
Hassun Nebras, 37, a mechanic within the military in Homs, stated all he needed was to restart civilian life and be together with his youngsters.
“We did what we have been requested,” he stated of his earlier job. “We did not need to, however we had no alternative.”
