A group of rebel fighters was dispatched to a village in southeastern Damascus to quell a surge of looting activity that had overtaken a residential complex, resulting in the setting ablaze of several apartments. This intervention by the rebel force occurred in the aftermath of their recent advance on the Syrian capital, which led to the ousting of President Bashar Assad and the end of his family’s five-decade reign.
The rebel fighters have made it a top priority to ensure security in Damascus, where incidents of looting private properties and attacks on security and government installations were reported to be relatively contained. Upon arriving in the village of Husseiniyeh, the rebel force encountered a scene of chaos, with looters, including women and children, ransacking the residential complex and absconding with a variety of items such as furniture, windows, food, copper wires, and anything else they could lay their hands on.
Residents of the area expressed shock and dismay at the widespread looting, with one individual lamenting the loss of belongings accumulated over 25 years of residence in his now-pillaged home. The situation was dire, with looters showing no restraint as they resorted to setting fires and causing further destruction. A resident, who also served as a school principal, recounted the helplessness she felt as her own home fell victim to the rampant looting, directing her frustration towards the rebel force for failing to prevent the chaos.
In response to the escalating crisis, the rebel fighters swiftly took action, engaging the looters and vowing to establish checkpoints to stem the tide of theft originating from a nearby village. In a bid to thwart the looting spree, the rebels resorted to using force, targeting the wheels of looters’ vehicles and dispersing the crowd with warning shots fired into the air. Despite the tense confrontations, there were no reported injuries, as the rebels sought to maintain order and prevent further damage to the residential complex housing former military personnel.
As the situation unfolded, some looters attempted to escape with their ill-gotten gains, while others were apprehended by the rebel force. A sense of urgency permeated the scene as rebels urged the remaining looters to surrender peacefully and face the consequences of their actions. The clashes between the rebel fighters and the looters underscored the fragile state of affairs in the village of Husseiniyeh, as the community grappled with the aftermath of a tumultuous period marked by lawlessness and unrest.
