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's Fourth Division reportedly executed three civilians on Monday night who allegedly attempted to cross illegally intoÌý.

The civilians - from the town of Jarajir in the western Qalamoun area of the Damascus countryside - includedÌýtwoÌýyoung men Zuhair Bakr and Ammar Kabar, alongsideÌýKabar's father, according to ÌýDamascus-focused news outlet.

"AÌýgroup of Fourth Division members stationed at one of the border points arrested the three people while trying to cross... and executed themÌýin the field immediately after their arrest," the outlet said.

The regime's elite division is led by 's younger brother, Maher, and has strong links to Iran.

Troops then ordered the security branch of the regime'sÌýmilitary to remove the bodies from the area, which were transferred to Al-Nabk hospital and handed over to their families.

The families were ordered that no burial or mourning ceremonies should take place for the dead men.

The Fourth Division isÌýbacked by Iranian-financed local militias, with TehranÌýone of the key backers of Assad's regime.

Ìýwhen protesters called for reforms, democracy,Ìýand freedom in 2011.

An armed uprising, following mass defections in the military, led toÌýone of the most devastating conflicts of the 21st century in which overÌý.

More thanÌýfive million Syrians have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries and an additional six million Syrian civiliansÌýhave been internally displaced, largely as a result of heavy shelling and bombardment exercised by the Syrian regime andÌý.

The regime - who alsoÌý against its civilians - took full control of all areasÌýaround the capital Damascus in 2018, as theÌýprovince of Idlib and parts of the Aleppo provinceÌýremain the onlyÌýareas in Syria to be held by theÌý.