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Defense Militia Conduct Daily Abuses Against Jableh: Activists

National Defense Forces operate with impunity
Defense Militia Conduct Daily Abuses Against Jableh: Activists

Local activists of the coastal city of Jableh have reported daily arrests and brutal abuses against members of the Sunni sect by the National Defense Forces militia.

 

The Phoenician city, populated by some Sunnis, has suffered countless assaults at the hands of Alawite militants loyal to Basar al-Assad since the revolution erupted in March 2011.

 

Jableh was one of the first cities to join the Syrian revolution, but demonstrations were severely suppressed.

 

The last arrest campaign included women and children.

 

Activists said Abu Sami, 90, was arrested without any consideration for his age.

 

Moreover, eight people were abducted by the National Defense militias to blackmail their parents, alongside robbery and looting.

 

The Sports Center in the city was turned into a detention and torturing centre by the National Defense militias without any official intervention or control.

 

The pro-opposition Facebook page, SANA Jableh, reported that National Defense units led by Ayat Barakat, arrested people "hysterically" without any consideration of their circumstances, robbing people’s houses, stores and cars, under the protection of regime security forces.

 

The page mentioned that civil peace has been threatened, and they think that National Defense Forces aim to force people to leave the city and change the demographic structure.

 

A source from the city said that National Defense Forces falsely claimed that an arms store was found to justify their mad arrest campaign, and to cover up their real intentions.

 

Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer

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