Syria regime 'dissolves loyalist militias in capital under Russian orders'

The Syrian regime has reportedly dissolved loyalist militias in the capital Damascus under orders from its main backer Russia, The New Arab's Arabic-language service has reported.

Local sources said on Sunday that militias in the Damascus districts of Barzeh and Esh al-Warwar have been broken up by authorities as Russian military police deploy in regime-controlled areas.

"The militia fighters have had their security identification cards taken away from them in a move that will likely take place in other parts of Syria," the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.

"This comes after a Russian decision to dissolve all [Syrian] militias formed during the war and incorporate them into the regime's regular armed forces,"

The sources said Moscow has made the decision after widespread reports of regime soldiers pillaging civilian homes in recently recaptures districts of Damascus.

Syrian regime and allied militias last month retook the Yarmouk area in southern Damascus, giving President Bashar al-Assad full control of the capital and its surroundings for the first time since 2012.

The regime has recovered more than half the country, bolstered by air strikes from its Russian ally, by local militias and regional fighters.

This week, Russian forces deployed on the Syria-Lebanon border in a stronghold of Lebanese militant group Hizballah - another main backer of the Assad regime.

The deployment sparked protests from Hizballah, prompting Russia to withdraw from its positions only a day later in a rare sign of tension between the allies.