Daraa: 8th Brigade dissolves itself and hands over equipment to Defense Ministry

The Eighth Brigade, one of the most prominent armed factions in southern Syria, has officially announced its dissolution and placed its human and military capabilities at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense in Damascus, according to a statement read by its spokesman, Colonel Mohammed al-Hourani, in a video recording released Sunday.

Hourani said, "We, the individuals, personnel, and officers of what was formerly known as the Eighth Brigade, officially announce the dissolution of this formation and the handover of all its military and human resources to the Ministry of Defense of the Syrian Arab Republic." He added that this step stems from "our commitment to national unity, the strengthening of security and stability, and our commitment to state sovereignty."

A Syrian security source told Al Jazeera that the Ministry of Defense has begun taking over the brigade's headquarters in the eastern Daraa countryside, after a recent security agreement was reached with notables in Busra al-Sham, the brigade's main stronghold.

Integration of all factions

This development comes just two days after security disturbances in the town of Busra al-Sham, which ended with an agreement allowing General Security personnel to enter to "establish security and stability," according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The Eighth Brigade, led by Ahmed al-Awda, is an extension of the "Sunni Youth Forces" faction, which was founded in 2012 and enjoyed widespread influence in the south of the country. Following the 2018 Russian-brokered settlement agreement, the brigade joined the Moscow-backed Fifth Corps, but retained a semi-independent structure and heavy military equipment.

The new Syrian government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, seeks to extend its sovereignty over all Syrian territory by reaching agreements with the Kurds, Druze, and armed factions.

Last March, al-Sharaa signed an agreement with the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, to integrate Kurdish self-administration institutions into state institutions.

Negotiations are also underway with representatives of the Druze minority in Sweida to integrate their armed groups into the Syrian army, a move aimed at unifying military structures within the state.