Central Committees (Syria)

The Central Committees, also called the Central Negotiations Committee,^[1] are governing structures established in Southern Syria following the 2018 Southern Syria offensive, which resulted in the Assad regime retaking control of the area. The groups have continued after the December 2024 fall of the Assad regime.

As part of the 2018 ceasefire negotiated between Southern rebels and Assad's forces, Russia brokered an agreement where the former rebels were given the choice of staying in the area, giving their heavy weapons to the government and reintegrating into the Syrian Arab Army, or, if opposed to the deal, they were sent to Idlib.^[2]

Three Central Committees were formed in 2018, with a Central Committee in East Daraa, another in Daraa and a third in Western Daraa.^[3]

Ahmad al-Awda, a former leader in the Youth of Sunna Forces, was given leadership over the Eighth Brigade of the 5th Corps.^[4] Others who reintegrated were Imad Abu Zureiq, Ali al-Miqdad and Moayad al-Aqra, all of whom were involved in the captagon trade and worked under Louay Ali, who headed the Military Intelligence Directorate in Daraa.^[5]

The role of the Central Committees had weakened by 2019, as the Russians failed to uphold what they had agreed upon, including "pressuring the Syrian regime to release detainees, withdrawing the security checkpoints, returning the dismissed employees, and resolving the issue of defectors."^[6]

According to Syria Direct, by December 2021, two of the three had disbanded in 2021, following various assassinations, leaving the East Daraa Central Committee as the sole functioning organization.^[3] However a report from February 2025 indicates that all three committees are still active.^[7]

The Assad regime "targeted" members of the committees.^[8]

The Southern Operations Room, which announced itself in December 2024, included the Central Committees as one of its components.^[9]

In the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime, Abu Zureiq reportedly helped Ali escape.^[10]

The collapse of the regime has strengthened various ISIS cells in the area, which looted arms from military bases near Al-Sanamayn.^[11]

Armed groups affiliated with the committees have negotiated with the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham-led administration over their inclusion in the new Syrian army and are expected to merge into the Syrian ministry of defense as one brigade.^[7]