ANKARA

Syrian residents in the western town of Qardaha handed over dozens of FPV suicide drones and military equipment belonging to the former regime to security authorities, the country’s Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry statement said that the handover followed a meeting between the General Security Service and local dignitaries in the town.

“This step contributed to strengthening social peace and confidence,” the ministry said, citing similar initiatives in different areas across the country.

After the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, the new Syrian authorities launched an initiative to settle the status of former regime members in the military and security forces, contingent on their surrendering weapons and remaining untainted by bloodshed.

While tens of thousands accepted the initiative, some armed groups made up of regime remnants, particularly in the coastal region where high-ranking Assad officers were stationed, rejected it.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.