Events in both eastern Ghouta and eastern Qalamoun accelerated during the past month and ended with the evacuation of the revolutionary factions heading to northern Syria and the Russian police seized control their regions.

Several issues were raised regarding the choice of the factions in the northern Syrian region. The heavy weapons left by the different factions to the Syrian regime in Qalamoun also generated considerable controversy. There were also many speculation about the future of some of these factions and the possibility of their transfer to other areas under new international agreements.

Syria Call has held an open dialogue with the spokesman of Jaish al-Islam staff, "Hamzah Bairaqdar" in order to give the opportunity for observers to see the details that have not been addressed previously.

Tell us about the evacuation from Ghouta

Bairaqdar : The Assad militias and their allies followed the policy of scorched earth on all fronts of the eastern Ghouta, as well as the military escalation on residential areas and the fall of dozens of martyrs and wounded, forcing our Mujahideen to shift from the eastern front of the eastern Ghouta after legendary steadfastness in front of barrel bombs, artillery shells and air strikes, we re-arranged our ranks and strengthen our fronts and support the Mujahideen (after the displacement of the central sector) in the city of Douma and Reihan farms adjacent to it, of course we formed a negotiating committee to meet the Russian side and the first agreed points of the cease-fire, and the agreement in the form required for us, but we were surprised on 6-7-8 April of the beginning of a new campaign of military escalation on our areas and against civilians, and it was the most violent crackdown in the history of the Syrian revolution as dozens of martyrs passed away. On the second day of the campaign, on 7 April evening, the Assad militia used chemical weapons against civilians in the city of Douma, increasing the number of martyrs and injuries. The strike comes 24 hours after the recent bloody campaign.

After this bloody campaign, which lasted 72 hours continuously, we decided to leave the eastern Ghouta in order to preserve the people of the city after we have provided everything we can militarily and politically to reduce the implementation of the policy of forced displacement at a time when we were in terms of military very good and ready had preparations for military actions, but the escalation on civilians and using this card prevented us to launch any military act.

- Why did you choose to go out to the northern countryside of Aleppo? What is the reality of your demilitarization?

Bairaqdar: We decided to go to the northern countryside of Aleppo to avoid a new war with Jabhat al-Nusra and drag the region into clashes, no one likes to do so.

We arrived in the northern countryside of Aleppo and we were welcomed by the people of the countryside and its factions and institutions, and the question of the confiscation of weapons is not true, we took our light weapon, and left the Ghouta is with our arms. Why did not we see you move militarily in Qalamoun despite the campaign against Ghouta?

Bairaqdar: The eastern Qalamoun did not undertake a massive military operation to enter it because there was no real will from the other factions to carry out military actions that would break the regime's back and give strength in the negotiations and ease the pressure on the eastern Ghouta. But we (Jaish al-Islam) took part to ease pressure on the eastern Ghouta, as we striked near, medium and far-reaching locations of the eastern Qalamoun, the most important of which are military airbase and barracks deployed in the region.

- What is the story of the weapons that were handed over to the Syrian regime in Qalamoun? Why has not it been destroyed?

Bairaqdar: What happened in Eastern Qalamoun is quite different from the eastern Ghouta. After we left Ghouta, all the evil forces went to the eastern Qalamoun using the same scenario of bombing and military escalation without the real will of the factions to fight the regime there or to deter it. The Qalamoun's factions formed a negotiating committee to meet the Russian side. The decision was decided by the Russian side (forced displacement) and also focused on another point which is the requirement not to burn any weapon in those areas after they had a lesson in the eastern Ghouta who burned their heavy and medium weapons before their evacuation, and the Russians threatened the Qalamoun factions in the event of burning weapons, the agreement would be canceled and military escalation will be back but Jaish al-Islam fighters destroyed all the weapons that were with them, which do not constitute anything for the rest of the factions, so that the regime can not take advantage of them after, and they disabled the armored vehicles, missiles and weapons that were under their control in eastern Qalamoun. What is your comment on the accusations of the execution of former army commanders before leaving Douma?

Bairaqdar: This talk is totally bseless and such rumors are among the chapters of inciting hatred and an attempt to destabilize the internal home of Jaısh al-Islam itself and within the media and political war waged by our enemies.

And we tell the traitors who wanted to spread their poison and rumors that your plots are uncovered and Jaish al-Islam will remain with the help of God coherent in its structure solid in its positions and such desperate attempts will not succeed to create fake-mediators (like Defda') among us due to the awareness of our people who are more aware than ever and know for sure the importance of the unified position which may strengthen us against our enemies.