Head of regime’s Asal al-Ward detachment killed of his wounds sufferd during previous clashes

SOHR sources report that the commander of regime’s Assal al-Ward Military Security detachment, nicknamed “lion of al-Qalamoun”, died of his wounds sustained in clashes that broke out in mid-January in Renkos town in western Qalamoun, where the head of Assal al-Ward detachment led a military operation targeting armed youths refusing to leave to the north of Syria and choosing to stay hide in the mountains of Renkos town.

On January 15, reliable source informed SOHR that armed regime forces with tanks and armored vehicles stormed areas in the town, after regime informant delivered information to regime forces about the presence of local opposition militiamen in the town.

These gunmen have no ties with the factions, but they refused to have their security situations settled with the regime or to leave to Idlib and preferred to stay in the area’s barren mountains. Clashes flared up between both sides and lasted until dawn, causing the killing of one regime officer and three other soldiers as well as the regime informant. Nine local gunmen of those who used to stay in the town for late hours, were also killed.

After these clashes, other local gunmen came from the barren mountains and attacked regime checkpoints in the town, leaving ten regime soldiers dead.

A tense situation and high alertness prevailed in the town along with campaigns of raids and inspection carried out by regime forces.