With mounting hopes that a new Syrian cabinet would be announced today, informed sources said that a significant step would be taken today in order to settle the tensions in Daraa

With attached hopes on the announcement of a new Syrian cabinet today, informed sources said that a significant step would be taken today in order to settle the tensions in the city of Daraa.

Well-informed Syrian sources told Al-Manar TV that Adel Safar government will be announced today, as a flashpoint for this cabinet that will take responsibility of addressing the issues that affect people's lives and livelihoods as part of the reforms President Bahsar Al-Assad had promised.

Unnamed source also reported that Assad will meet a delegation from Daraa on Thursday and tackle the events that Daraa has been experiencing recently.

“The delegation will reiterate the demands made during the protests, which are cancelling the emergency law, fighting corruption, withdrawing military forces from Daraa and releasing those detained in the city during recent events,” the source added.

This comes as security authorities released nearly a hundred people who had been arrested in Banias after a women protest was held demanding the release of detainees in the coastal region. The Syrian army had told Banias residents that it would enter the city, but had promised there would be no attacks by the military. The deal was intended to help calm the city, home to one of Syria's two oil refineries, ahead of Friday prayers.

SANA news agency reported that Banias had witnessed a new crime perpetrated by armed groups' criminal members, an official source said on Wednesday.

The source added that in this farmework, the security forces continue efforts in chasing down the armed groups which carried out killings and criminal acts in the city and its districts and attacked a military unit on Lattakia-Banias highway on April 10, 2011.

The source stressed that the criminal armed group members were tracked down outside the villages and housing areas, pointing out that an army soldier was martyred in the confrontation and two others were injured, in addition to six security forces members, who were also wounded. Three of the armed group's members were killed and eight others were injured.