In May, hundreds of Palestinian youths were forced to join the Palestine Liberation Army (PLA), affiliated with the Syrian government. The list includes university graduates or those whose deferment of studies license expired by Mar. 15, 2019.
The Syrian government defined Apr. 22, 2019, as the time-limit for the recruited youth to hand over their civil IDs to the recruitment branch pending the start of their military service.
Informed sources said batches of Palestinian youths who were forced into military conscription were spotted at the Basel al-Assad School in Mesyaf, southwest of Hama.
Shortly after the outburst of the deadly warfare, the Syrian government forced Palestinian refugees aged 18 and above to join affiliated militias for periods of at least one and a half years.
Those who refuse conscription are subjected to crackdowns, abductions and even executions. As a result, thousands fled the country in search of safety and shelter.
Action Group For Palestinians of Syria has recorded the death of 277 PLA gunmen since the start of the war in Syria.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
