Daraa youth refuse to join compulsory 'murderous' Syrian regime military service, fear for uncertain future

Many young men in Syria's southern Daraa province are refusing to join the Assad regime's military forces and now fear for their fate as a conscription deadline approaches.
3 min read
06 April, 2022
Young men in Syria fear being conscripted into the regime's army [Getty]

Young men refusing to enrolin compulsory military servicewith the feel under threat of arrest as thedeadline for the postponement of their辱, 's Arabic language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

The regime in April 2021 granted menaged between 18 and36, who arewanted for military servicein the southern,a period of one year in which they were free to travel before enrolling in the army.

Duringthis period, thousands of young men left the area.

However many could not afford toand are now refusing toenroleither due to being against what they call the "murderous" regime, or because of the discrimination they would face within the regime military.

"Military service is obligatory, but it is a process of humiliation and oppression," Ziad Bara, a 24-year-old Daraa resident told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

He said that conscripts from areas that were formerly held by the Syrian opposition- including Daraa - "are treated with vengefulness".

Bara explained that those, like him, who "[did not] have a chance to get out of the country... don't know what the coming days may hold for us".

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"Military service in the ranks of those who destroyed our homes... and killed our peopleis rejected...by the majority of society," another young man, Mazen, toldAl-Araby Al-Jadeed, saying he believes those who enroldo so only for their own personal benefit.

"Only the regime winswhen we kill each other," he added.

However, activistAbu Muhammad al-Hourani, who lives in western Daraa province said that "the majority of young people are not afraid."

He said thatthe regime has still not announced what will happen after the deadline's passing and that it may be in the regime's interests to extend the deadline.

"According to informationwe have, there is coordination between the regime and the UAE government to facilitate Syrians obtaining travel visas, so it may extend the deadline, or turn a blind eye to them leaving,"lawyer Hassan Al-Aswad said.

"The goal is to empty the region of rebellious elements”

Al-Aswad says travel is the only opportunity for young men to avoid being prey "either to recruitment and death, or poverty."

Thebegan in March 2011, when Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad's regime violently cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.

Daraa province was formerly a stronghold of the Syrian opposition but fell under Assad regime control in 2018, following a military campaign.

Since the conflict began, over 500,000 lives have been lost - mostly at the hands of the regime and its ally Russia - and millions of Syrians have fled the country orbeen ,largely as a result of heavy shelling and bombardment.