Renewed violations in Daraa amid clashes in Al-Suwaidaa countryside on the second day of the Syrian south truce
The US-Jordan-Russia brokered Truce, which began at 12 pm on the 9th of July 2017, is still in effect in the southern Syria, namely the Provinces of Al-Quneitra, Al-Suwaidaa and Daraa. The SOHR documented new violations in areas in the three Provinces. Explosions were heard after midnight in Daraa city and they turned out to be caused by the launch of two shells by the regime forces on areas in Daraa Al-Balad in Daraa city, causing material damages. Meanwhile, clashes continued between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and Ahmad Al-Abdu Forces and Jaysh Usud Al-Sharqiyyah backed by the International Coalition on the other, in areas in Al-Suwaidaa countryside, adjacent to the southeastern part of Rif Dimashq. The SOHR published after midnight that the truce brokered by Russia, America and Jordan is still in effect in the three provinces subject to the agreement in the southern Syria. The ceasefire continues Al-Quneitra, Al-Suwaidaa and Daraa despite several breaches documented by the SOHR during the last 36 hours. The SOHR documented continued clashes in Al-Suwaidaa countryside, which is adjacent to the southeastern part of Rif Dimashq, between the regime forces and their allied militiamen, of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, on one hand and Ahmad Al-Abdu Forces and Jaysh Usud Al-Sharqiyyah backed by the International Coalition on the other. In addition, shells fell on areas in Daraa Al-Balad in Daraa city, causing the injury of 4 at least.
The SOHR documented yesterday that the regime forces targeted a vehicle traveling on the road to Rakham area in Daraa countryside, which is adjacent to the western countryside of Al-Suwaidaa, setting fire to the car, thus rising smoke columns were observed, and causing the injury of one person at least. The regime forces also opened fire with heavy machine guns on areas in Daraa Al-Balad in Daraa city. No casualties were reported. The SOHR also documented yesterday the firing of at least two shells on places in Al-Harak area, located at the northeastern countryside of Daraa city, causing material damage but no casualties were reported. In addition, the SOHR documented violations before and after midnight yesterday. Such violations include the fall of 3 shells on Tarik Al-Sad neighborhood and Daraa Al-Balad in Daraa city and an exchange of fire that was heard in areas in Daraa Al-Balad with no casualties reported. The SOHR also documented yesterday before midnight violations of the agreement carried out by the regime forces when they fired two shells on Saida town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. There was also an exchange of shelling between one of the rebel factions and the regime forces in Al-Naima town and its surroundings in the same countryside in addition to the firing of two shells on areas in Daraa Al-Balad. As for the central countryside of Al-Quneitra, an exchange of targeting using heavy machine-guns occurred between the regime forces and some of the factions in the areas of Khan Arnaba and Al-Samadaniyya and MasHara and on the road to Jebbata Al-Khashab. Information about the injury of one person in Saida town was reported.
Reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the agreement also provides for an item which is deploying Russian military police forces in the cease-fire areas in the three provinces of the agreement, to oversee the cease-fire and carry out the truce, while the factions operating in the Desert of al-Suwaidaa which is interconnected with the southeast of Rif Dimashq reported that they have not been informed by any party regional or international about a cease-fire in the Syrian south, also the SOHR obtained information from reliable sources that the agreement provides for the withdrawal of the regime forces and their allied militiamen and the rebel and Islamic factions from contact lines in all areas, the deployment of the regime’s internal security forces in these lines whereas the rebel and Islamic factions participating in the agreement will be assigned the task of protecting all public and private establishments. In addition, it also stipulates the departure of all those unwilling to participate in the agreement, the full withdrawal of the regime’s allied militiamen – of non-Syrian nationalities, preparation of the infrastructure necessary for the return of refugees from Jordan successively, holding municipal elections and granting municipalities broad powers, and finally the delivery of humanitarian aid to the areas that abide by the ceasefire. The SOHR published on the 17th of June 2017 that a Russian-American-Jordanian truce was put into effect in Daraa Province and was extended till the 20th of June but came to an end as a result of the renewed aerial and artillery shelling by the regime forces and their allied militiamen, helicopters and warplanes.