Chechen fighters take over security in Syrian Alawite village
Shafaq News/ Chechen fighters have taken over security duties in the Alawite-majority village of Al-Raqama in Syria’s Homs province, sparking fear and unrest among residents, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Thursday.
The UK-based monitor said Syrian authorities appointed the non-Syrian fighters as local security heads, a move that prompted concerns over possible violations against the local Alawite population.
A resident told SOHR that the deployment of Chechen personnel had triggered panic. “People are afraid they will commit abuses against Alawite villagers,” he said, noting that previous local fighters and intelligence affiliates had already fled the area following the fall of al-Assad’s regime, fearing arrest or retribution.
The change in control came a day after Syrian security forces launched a raid on Al-Raqama, detaining five civilians. According to the Observatory, the arrests followed an incident where an unidentified gunman fired into the air inside the village, prompting a swift response from General Security patrols.
Al-Raqama, located in eastern rural Homs, had remained largely untouched by armed conflict throughout the Syrian war, making the recent developments particularly unsettling for its residents.
#حمص #الرقاما العلويةحملة اعتقالات عشوائية تشهدها قرية الرقاما في الريف الشرقي لمدينة #حمص، حيث تم اعتقال 7 أشخاص يوم أمس، ومساء اليوم اعتقال عددٍ آخر . تزامناً مع إطلاق نار كثيف في الهواء.تجدر الإشارة إلى أن قرية الرقاما لا تشهد أي مشكل وتتمتع بعلاقات طيبة مع القرى المجاورة pic.twitter.com/VJJraQ4Kfi
— ⚔️💚علوية وافتخر 💚⚔️ (@MemoKh1644524) May 1, 2025
