Director of the Syrian Observatory: The Threat to the Lawyer May Be from “Abu Hudhaifa,” the Controller of ”Al-Somariya”
Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated that the person who threatened lawyer Ali Barakat may be the same individual nicknamed “Abu Hudhaifa,” who is responsible for controlling the Al-Somariya Neighborhood through his armed group.
He added that the lawyer appeared today in a video recording, speaking and visible, making an appeal to the interim Syrian president and the Minister of Interior, requesting protection from the brutality of the armed groups.
The director of the Observatory questioned whether Barakat is a victim of threats from the militants or a victim of his statements made to the media when he spoke about incidents related to the neighborhood.
He pointed out that there are many informal neighborhoods in Damascus, but the choice of areas inhabited by citizens from the Alawite sect raises questions about the possibility of a demographic change plan.
He noted that the Al-Somariya neighborhood is experiencing widespread displacement, and anyone approaching it faces direct threats. He warned that the displacement rate could reach 100% if the armed groups linked to the Ministries of Defense and Interior continue to pressure the remaining residents to leave the neighborhood.
