The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Following the death of 20 civilians in the eight days that preceded the southern Syria truce…the truce holds on for the eighth day without casualties and with a significant decline in violations

The Russian-Jordanian-American truce is still in effect in the three provinces located in the southern Syria, namely Daraa, Al-Quneitra, and Al-Suwaidaa. The truce holds on for the eighth day since its implementation on the 9th of July 2017 amid a significant decline in violations there as documented by the SOHR. However, the SOHR documented on the eighth day of the truce the firing of four shells by the regime forces targeting areas in Tarik Al-Sad neighborhood in Daraa Al-Mahatta in Daraa city, followed by shells fired on the regime-controlled areas in Daraa Al-Mahatta.

The SOHR have not documented the death of any civilians or rebel fighters during the period of the truce since it came into effect on the 9th of July 2017 till today the 17th of July, as a result of battles between the regime forces and their allied militiamen on one hand and the rebel and Islamic factions on the other. On the other hand, the SOHR had documented in the last days that preceded the truce the death of 18 civilians, including 7 children below the age of 18 and 6 female citizens above 18 in shelling by the regime forces and airstrikes by warplanes in the southern Syria in addition to two female citizens and a child who were killed as a result of the dropping of shells on regime-controlled areas.

The violations, documented by the SOHR during the first eight days of the truce, included the targeting of the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad with several shells and opening fire by the regime forces using heavy machine-guns on areas in Jebbata Al-Khashab road and Al-Hamidiya town in the central sector in Al-Quneitra countryside. The regime forces also targeted Al-Tlul Al-Homr area and the surroundings of Hodr town in the northern sector of Al-Quneitra with heavy machineguns and mortar shells. They also targeted areas in Al-Harak town, east of Daraa, with two shells and other areas in Al-Yaduda town in the northwestern countryside of Daraa with several shells in addition to firing two shells on areas in Daraa Camp and targeting areas in Mlehat Al-Atash town and other areas in Al-Lajat area. Moreover, the regime forces fired two shells on Sayda town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. There were also an exchange of shelling between a rebel faction and the regime forces in Al-Naemeh town and its surroundings in the same countryside and a targeting by the regime forces of a car travelling on the road to Rakham area in Daraa countryside, which is adjacent to the western countryside of Al-Suwaidaa, setting fire to it. The regime forces also targeted with heavy machine-guns the contact line with the factions in Al-Wardat area in Al-Lajat area in the northeastern countryside of Daraa. The SOHR also documented the firing of several shells by the regime forces on the western Al-Gharaya. Meanwhile, clashes broke out in the Syrian dessert in the northeastern countryside of Al-Suwaidaa, 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 on the other. Clashes were accompanied by intensive artillery and rocket shelling between both parties. The central countryside of Al-Quneitra also witnessed an exchange of targeting with heavy machine-guns between the regime forces and the factions in areas in Khan Arnaba, Al-Samadaniyya, MasHara and the road to Jebbata Al-Khashab.

Reliable sources confirmed to the SOHR that one of the clauses of the agreement provides for the deployment of Russian military police forces to the cease-fire zones in the three provinces included in the agreement to monitor the ceasefire and the truce implementation. Meanwhile, the factions operating in Al-Suwaidaa desert, which intersects with the southeastern part of Rif Dimashq, announced that they have not been informed by any regional or international entity about the ceasefire in southern Syria. The SOHR also obtained information from reliable sources to the effect 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.