Security forces belonging to the Syrian interim government detained a group of civil society activists from the Druze-majority city of Suwayda, as they were en route to an event in Raqqa (Reqa) on Saturday, according to local sources.
The arrests occurred at a security checkpoint in Homs, central Syria, at approximately 1pm local time on 5 April. The activists were part of a civil delegation heading to an event in Raqqa aimed at promoting dialogue and cooperation among diverse Syrian communities, according to the North Press Agency, who said around 25 had been arrested.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported the numnber of detainees as 20, saying they were taken to “a security branch” and that their “fates remain unknown”. SOHR also says that according to reliable sources the people arrested had taken part in a conference in Damascus and were on their way to Raqqa.
Syrian government authorities have not yet issued any statement on the grounds for the arrests or the whereabouts of the detainees.
