Syrian militants seize Assad regime buildings in former rebel stronghold of Talbiseh

Armed men took control of government buildings in the former Syrian opposition stronghold of Talbiseh near Homs on Wednesday following a dispute with authorities.

The men stormed the headquarters of the Talbiseh district council and the military security office, detaining regime security officers and officials, who did not resist, sources told The New Arab's Arabic-language service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

It happened just hours after two local men were arrested for dealing drugs and a new chief of the military and security council of Homs province was appointed by the regime.

Talbiseh, which lies 10 kilometres north of Homs, saw large-scale demonstrations against Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011.

It fell under the control of opposition forces and was heavily bombed by the Assad regime.

The regime regained control of the town after a Russian-backed offensive in 2018. Hundreds of people were displaced as a result.

The sources who spoke to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, who requested anonymity, said that the regime was trying to negotiate with the armed men who had taken over the government buildings, adding there were still "tensions" in the town.

Regime forces were deployed in force around Talbiseh on Wednesday morning, as the armed men demanded details about the detention of the two men accused of drug smuggling, as well as their release.

They also said that none of the armed men had a history of opposing the regime.

Previously, the Assad regime announced the appointment of General Ahmed Nayyuf as the commander of the regime army’s Third Division and head of the military and security committee of Homs province.

Nayyuf has been accused of war crimes before.

Talbiseh has over the past year become more unstable as drug dealers and gangs operate in the area.

Syria has become the world’s largest producer and supplier of the illegal amphetamine captagon and many analysts now describe the war-torn country as a "narco-state".