Security unrest shakes Hama.. who is responsible?

This episode of the program “Syria Today” on Syria TV discusses the escalating security unrest in Hama province, manifested through a series of assassinations and a surge in mysterious killings in the countryside, especially in multi-sectarian areas. Muhsen AlMustafa noted that the worsening situation in Hama’s countryside is mainly linked to a large legacy of uncontrolled weapons resulting from years of conflict, pointing out that most of those targeted in these operations are people said to be involved in crimes with the ousted regime, which suggests retaliatory motives.

AlMustafa affirmed that the path of transitional justice is not absent but rather needs time, as the security apparatus is still “newly established” and requires a year or two to gain sufficient experience. To reduce the chaos in Hama’s diverse countryside, AlMustafa stressed that possible solutions include addressing the issue of weapons through a new firearms possession law, setting appropriate penalties for those who refuse to surrender them, and working toward achieving civil peace. He also emphasized the need to change the security strategy instead of merely increasing forces, by boosting the number of nighttime patrols, restricting movement in certain areas, and requiring civilians to leave their weapons outside the cities.