News Bulletin for Monday from Hizb ut-Tahrir Radio, Syria Province
2025/06/30
Headlines:
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Discovery of a mass grave west of Deir ez-Zor... and the release of a Shabiha worker three days after a security raid in Al-Dumair sparks outrage among residents.
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The Syrian Ministry of Economy stops importing used cars... and a "Syrian-French" agreement to rehabilitate 37 damaged bridges.
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A British delegation discusses strengthening stability in Damascus... and another UN delegation visits the city of Afrin to check on the conditions of those returning to their areas.
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Trump denies knowledge of any steps towards normalization between Damascus and Tel Aviv, and a Hebrew newspaper claims: Sharia requires withdrawal from the Golan for any peace agreement.
Details:
On Sunday, a mass grave was found in the Al-Ruwad Villas project area west of Deir ez-Zor city. It is believed to contain the remains of a number of civilians who died during the era of the former regime. SANA news agency reported that civil defense teams went to the site as soon as the report was received, where they began the process of exhuming the bodies and taking the necessary measures. The agency quoted a source in the civil defense as saying that the criminal security branch and security authorities discovered the grave, pointing out that the area's proximity to security barriers belonging to the former regime reinforces the possibility of its use in liquidation and mass burial operations.
The release of "Fakhri al-Ghadban," one of the most prominent Shabiha figures known in the city of Al-Dumair in the Damascus countryside, sparked widespread discontent among the residents, less than three days after his arrest during a security raid carried out by a patrol affiliated with the Ministry of Interior, which ended in armed clashes that resulted in the death of one of his relatives. According to testimonies, al-Ghadban was involved in war crimes with the Assad regime, all of which is documented, according to the residents. A security patrol was able to arrest him after resistance that required decisive intervention from the officers, which ended with his arrest and the death of one of his escorts during the exchange of fire. However, the surprise - as described by the residents - was the release of al-Ghadban less than 72 hours after his arrest, despite the fact that the period coincided with an official holiday that extended from Thursday to Saturday. The latter returned to his home surrounded by a number of armed men amidst a display of weapons and machine guns. The residents confirmed that their attempts to file official complaints and demand that al-Ghadban be held accountable were met with procrastination, pending what they called "the arrival of the responsible Sheikh" on Sunday, without clarifying the identity of this Sheikh or his capacity that qualifies him to intervene in a case of this magnitude.
Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab discussed with a British delegation, on Monday, the development of the relationship between Damascus and London and the strengthening of regional stability. The Minister of Interior, Anas Khattab, received an official delegation from the British government headed by Anne Snow, the United Kingdom's Special Representative for Syrian Affairs. The British delegation came on an official visit aimed at strengthening cooperation and developing bilateral relations between Syria and the United Kingdom. The visit also aims to achieve common interests and enhance regional stability.
A delegation from the United Nations visited the city of Afrin, north of Aleppo, on Monday, to check on the conditions of those returning to their residential areas in the city of Afrin and its suburbs. The local radio "Dalal" published on its Facebook page that "a delegation from the United Nations visited the director of the Afrin region, Masoud Battal, with the aim of discussing the conditions of those returning to the city and the conditions of their reception." For his part, the Deputy Head of the region, Muhammad Al-Sheikh Rashid, told the visiting delegation about "the conditions of the infrastructure and the services provided in Afrin." He indicated that the UN delegation "expressed its commitment to provide all necessary support and assistance, in order to enhance the stability of the city and provide a safe environment for its residents.
The Minister of Economy and Industry in the Syrian government, Dr. "Muhammad Nidal Al-Shaar," issued an official decision bearing the number (676), which stipulates the cessation of importing used cars into the country, with the specification of some exceptions and special conditions. The decision stipulated the cessation of importing all types of used cars, with the exception of the following cases: agricultural machinery, vehicles for public works, and agricultural tractors whose manufacturing date does not exceed ten years, and the year of manufacture is excluded from this restriction. As well as large buses (more than 22 seats), whose manufacturing date does not exceed five years, also excluding the year of manufacture, and the owners of cars whose import data were organized at the General Customs Directorate and the Single Window in the Ministry of Economy until June 1, 2025, are exempted from the ban, provided that the data is duly certified and stamped.
The General Corporation for Road Transport held a meeting in Damascus on Sunday with a delegation from the French company "Mattier", with the aim of activating the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties and turning it into practical steps to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure, foremost of which are 37 bridges in various Syrian governorates. SANA news agency reported that the meeting discussed the priorities of bridge maintenance, taking into account the available financial capabilities, and in a way that enhances balanced development efforts in the country. During the meeting, it was agreed to add five new bridges to the basic list, which includes 32 bridges, according to the agreement signed in 2023.
The Foreign Minister of the Hebrew entity, Gideon Saar, said on Monday that the Golan Heights will remain under the control of his entity in any future agreements, refusing to give them up. Saar pointed out, in a joint press conference with the Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, that Tel Aviv is "interested in expanding the circle of peace to include Syria and Lebanon." He added: "We have an interest in bringing countries such as Syria and Lebanon into the circle of peace, while preserving our security needs... We want good relations with all our neighbors on the same level." Saar stressed that "in any peace agreement, the Golan Heights will remain part of the state of the Hebrew entity."
The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted officials as saying that it is unlikely that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Share' will agree to sign a peace agreement with the occupying state without its withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, in light of the accelerating talk about the possibility of signing a historic peace agreement between the two parties before the end of 2025. The newspaper quoted officials as saying that the United States is aware of the content of the ongoing negotiations between Damascus and Tel Aviv, which are not limited to security arrangements, but also include sovereign issues such as the future of the Golan.
US President Donald Trump said, in an interview with Fox News that aired on Sunday, that he does not know if Damascus will sign a normalization agreement with Tel Aviv, but he confirmed his previous decision to lift sanctions on it. Trump explained: "We will lift more sanctions in the future if Syria proves its ability to go down the path of peace." Trump's statements coincided with what the US Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak, announced regarding the existence of a readiness of the occupying entity to reach a peace agreement with both Syria and Lebanon, according to a unified framework that takes into account security and stability on the borders.
