Jurf al-Sakhr situation is complicated by security concerns, not political veto: leading figure

Shafaq News/ The repatriation of the people displaced from Jurf al-Sakhr is complicated by security concerns rather than a political veto, a leading figure in Ammar Al-Hakim's al-Hekmah movement, Hasan al-Janabi, said on Tuesday.

Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, al-Janabi said, "the return of the people to Jurf al-Sakhr is not blocked by any party. However, this territory is deemed strategic from a security perspective. Since 2003, through 2014, and until its liberation, it was a hotspot for terrorism, and the security forces failed to break into it on many occasions."

"More than 1,000 martyrs perished in the quest of liberating this town. It is unacceptable to undermine the security of the surrounding governorates. There is no guarantee that the return of the locals would not be accompanied by a simultaneous infiltration of terrorists into the area characterized by rugged topography."

"Therefore, the repopulation of this area should follow a strict security plan. In addition, it should be purged from arms and explosives, rehabilitated with refurbished infrastructure, and repopulated with innocent people exclusively."

"The Jurf al-Sakhr issue is rather a complex one. It requires joining the efforts of different political parties, security bodies, and government institutions in order to formulate a clear vision on how to repatriate the people without jeopardizing the security of neighboring governorates."