DAMASCUS, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The Eighth Brigade, a prominent armed group in southern Syria, announced its dissolution on Sunday, stating that its forces would integrate into the country's military authorities.

The move comes amid escalating unrest in the southern Daraa province, particularly in the town of Bosra al-Sham, where residents held large protests earlier in the day demanding the group's disbandment and the disarmament of its fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In a video statement released Sunday, the group's official spokesperson confirmed the decision to disband. Subsequently, security forces began collecting weapons and ammunition from affiliates of the brigade led by Ahmad al-Awda in the village of Maaraba in eastern Daraa, as reported by the activist network Ahrar Houran.

The Eighth Brigade was part of the Southern Operations Room (SOR), a coalition of armed groups formed on December 6, 2024, in Daraa. The SOR played a significant role in the offensive that led to the toppling of Syria's longtime ruler, Bashar al-Assad. Assad was ousted two days later following a surprise 12-day sweep spearheaded by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and allied factions. Enditem

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