"Men of dignity" insist on holding onto weapons despite the agreement with Damascus

Bassam Abu Fakhr, the spokesperson for the "Men of Dignity" movement, confirmed the movement's refusal to hand over its weapons to the Syrian state at the current stage, describing any step in this direction as "suicidal," emphasizing that the weapons are only used for self-defense, not as a threat to anyone.

This came during an interview with "Al Arabiya/Al Hadath" channel on Monday, May 5, where Abu Fakhr indicated that the movement wants to integrate into the Syrian army, but "within a structure that includes the Ministry of Defense," pointing out that "there are parties trying to undermine the recent agreement between the Druze sheikhs and the Syrian authorities."

In a related context, the issue of weapon handover remains contentious despite the announcement of the start of the agreement's implementation between the sheikhs of Suwayda and the government.

Suwayda Governor Mustafa al-Bakour affirmed on Sunday that the sheikhs will take on the task of "controlling loose weapons," considering it crucial for it to be in the hands of the state.

Abu Fakhr clarified that the issue of weapon handover "concerns the Ministry of Defense," but has not yet been settled among all parties, emphasizing that the movement's weapons are directed solely "to protect the land and honor."

He also added that "Men of Dignity" do not oppose the organization of carrying weapons, as long as it remains "under local control within the administrative boundaries of Suwayda," acknowledging that the matter "remains unresolved without a final agreement."