On Tuesday evening, clashes erupted in the town of al-Musayfra, located in the eastern countryside of Daraa, between a faction of the Eighth Brigade under the Military Security and a group affiliated with Air Force Intelligence.
Enab Baladi’s correspondent reported that an armed group associated with commander Abu Ali al-Lahham of the Air Force Intelligence infiltrated al-Musayfra and targeted the home of leader Abdullah al-Eida, a supporter of the Eighth Brigade, with an RPG shell. This attack triggered clashes that required reinforcements from the Eighth Brigade to be dispatched from the city of Busra al-Sham.
Solar panels
A former commander of the Eighth Brigade from al-Musayfra informed Enab Baladi that while clashes occurred between Military Security and Air Force Intelligence, there were no casualties on either side. Damage was limited to the home of leader Eida, along with water tanks and solar panels on civilian rooftops in the area.
In related news, the Daraa 24 page reported that after several hours of fighting between the Eighth Brigade and the Lahham-led Air Force Intelligence, the latter withdrew from al-Musayfra and repositioned at an Air Force Intelligence checkpoint between al-Musayfra and Um Walad, with calm returning to the area.
Last March, the Eighth Brigade successfully expelled “welding” groups from al-Musayfra, which subsequently settled in Um Walad, situated on the administrative border between Daraa and Suweida governorates. The Eighth Brigade then prohibited the presence of any members affiliated with these groups in al-Musayfra and handed over the town’s military administration to a faction associated with the Eighth Brigade.
The intervention by the Eighth Brigade followed repeated attempts by Lahham’s groups to assert control over al-Musayfra, particularly during a raid on January 30 aimed at arresting former Eighth Brigade commander Ashraf al-Sayyah.
At that time, an Air Force Intelligence unit stormed Sayyah’s residence but found him absent and subsequently searched neighbouring houses. Sayyah later told Enab Baladi that the local group linked to Air Force Intelligence accused him of engaging in activities opposed to the Syrian regime and pursued him on that basis.
The Eighth Brigade comprises several local factions in Daraa that were once part of the opposition. Following “settlements” in 2018, they joined the Russian-backed Fifth Corps. However, in 2022, reports emerged claiming they were operating under the regime’s “military security,” which the Eighth Brigade has denied.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
