By Anadolu Staff
SUWAYDA, Syria (AA) – Local armed groups in Syria's Suwayda province, where the majority are Druze religious people, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to regime forces on Friday to leave the area and prevent bloodshed.
According to local sources, representatives from local armed groups met with regime officials and demanded that regime forces withdraw from the province.
While emphasizing their desire to avoid armed conflict, the groups set a 24-hour deadline for the regime forces to comply.
Meanwhile, local armed groups have taken control of the Suwayda Police Headquarters building.
The local armed groups reportedly have no direct ties to other opposition factions.
Suwayda has seen ongoing anti-regime protests for over a year, with many demonstrators waving the opposition's "revolution flag."
- Developments in Syria
Clashes between Syrian regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov. 27 in Aleppo’s western countryside.
By Nov. 30, the opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across Idlib province.
On Dec. 1, the Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the PKK/YPG terror group in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terrorist elements.
Anti-regime forces captured Hama on Thursday and continued their advance on Friday, seizing Rastan and Talbiseh districts in Homs province.