Daraa in September 2020 | Raging Iranian-Russian conflict… symbolic regime domination… Syrian people are the ultimate losers
Daraa, “the cradle of the Syrian Revolution”, has been suffering from chronic and dramatic instability, as the province, which is under the control of the Syrian regime and its allies, experiences escalating security chaos and disorder in the wake of the ongoing rivalries among various factions and controlling powers.
As the Russians are attempting to strengthen the presence and influence of the 5th Corps in the province and eliminate the Iranian presence, Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias are seeking to entrench themselves in southern Syrian region through recruitment and “Shi’aism” proselytising operations (conversion to Shiite). Meanwhile, the Syrian regime seems to be satisfied with its nominal control of the region.
The Syrian Observatory monitored and tracked the most significant developments in Daraa province in September 2020, summarized in the following:
Assassinations, detonations, sabotage, and arbitrary arrests
Over 21 assassinations took place in Daraa in September 2020, mostly targeting individuals linked to regime forces and security services. While five other incidents, including explosions and acts of sabotage, targeted civilians. As always, regime forces reneged on their promises and continued arbitrary arrests, disregarding all the reconciliation deals that agreed upon. Daraa province also had it big share of escalating kidnappings in September.
All of these aspects of security chaos in Daraa have plagued the Syrians, the ultimate losers, who are not able to secure even the minimum levels of their basic necessities, as they have already been grappling with deteriorating economic and financial conditions.
Since the beginning of the security chaos in Daraa in early June 2019, Syrian Observatory activists have documented more than 698 attacks and assassination attempts by gunfire and detonations of IEDs, motorcycle-bombs and car-bombs. These attacks and assassinations claimed the lives of 460 persons, categorised as follows:
- 126 civilians, including 12 women and 15 children
- 210 regime soldiers, loyalists and collaborators with regime security services
- 79 fighters of factions that struck “reconciliation and settlements” deals with the regime and became in the ranks of regime’s security branches, including former commanders
- 23 Syrian militiamen affiliated to the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian forces
- 22 members of the so-called 5th Corps which was established by Russia.
Popular protests and demonstrations
SOHR activists documented five protests and vigils in Daraa during September 2020, starting on September 2 in Al-Harrak city in the eastern countryside of Daraa, when demonstrators set rubber tires on fire, blocking the city’s streets, while other young people encircled a checkpoint affiliated to the regime’s Air-Force Intelligence in the city. These developments came in the wake of the arrest of a 70-year-old man while heading to Izraa city.
One day later, SOHR eyewitnesses reported seeing dozens of Dara al-Balad residents staging a vigil, demanding the disclosure of detainees’ fate in regime prisons. The demonstrators also accused regime forces of kidnappings in Daraa province.
On September 18, people staged a vigil in Al-Harrak city calling for the toppling the Syrian regime. The demonstrators also blamed regime government for the fabricated fuel and bread crises in Daraa province, since they lifted placards with anti-regime slogans written on them.
Similarly, on September 24, dozens of residents held a vigil in Tariq Al-Sadd neighbourhood in Daraa city, protesting kidnappings, assassinations, “Shabiha-like” behaviour and terror practiced by regime forces, in addition to calls to ease the regime tight security procedures imposed on Daraa province.
While on September 25, the residents of several towns and cities in rural Daraa, including Al-Yadoudah and Jasem, participated in demonstrations in these areas, expressing solidarity with Kanaker town in Rif Dimashq, as unknown individuals distributed leaflets, demanding the release of female detainees from the Syrian regime’s prisons in Kanaker. These protests followed the arrest of three women from Kanaker town by regime security service for unknown reasons.
Clashes among feuding factions and controlling powers
On September 13, reliable sources informed SOHR that clashes erupted between gunmen of the Russian-backed 5th Corps and other tribal gunmen in Al-Suwar town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The clashes resulted in the killing of two members of the 5th Corps. Meanwhile, both sides were seen amassing troops, amid growing tension in the area. Similarly, on September 18, Observatory activists monitored fierce clashes in Um Al-Mayazen town in the eastern countryside of Daraa, between members of the regime’s “military security service” and gunmen from the town. The clashes lasted for nearly three hours and left many casualties on both sides.
Recruitment and “Shi’aism” proselytising operations
Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias continued their recruitment operations in southern Syria through offering financial incentives and continuous usage of religion and sectarianism. Such operations have been concentrated in “Saraya al-Areen” of the 313th Brigade in northern Daraa, Shiite centres in Al-Lajat and other areas in Daraa, Al-Baath city and Khan Arnabah in Al-Quneitra countryside, near the border with the occupied Syrian Golan. According to SOHR statistics, the number of volunteers in the ranks of Iranian forces and loyal militias in southern Syria region has exceeded 7,400.
Israeli attacks
In early September 2020, SOHR activists documented Israeli airstrikes on regime positions in Rif Dimashq and Daraa. The Israeli missiles hit the surrounding areas of Izraa, Namer Battalion, Qurfa Battlion, and Tal Mahajjah in the north-eastern countryside of Daraa, where forces of the Lebanese Hezbollah are located.
Ten people (three regime members, including an officer of the Air-Defense Forces, and seven other non-Syrian militiamen of Iranian-backed militias and Hezbollah) were killed in that attack.
The various aspects of security chaos and instability in Daraa province point to the fact that the rivalry among controlling powers (Syrian regime, Iranian forces and Russian-backed 5th Corps) could be protracted, at a time when regime security service are determined to breach the reconciliations deals, already struck with Daraa people, by arresting and humiliating residents and looting their properties. Not to mention Russia’s slyness, leaning on Israeli attacks on the southern region with the purpose of strengthening and expanding its influence at the expense of the Iranian forces and proxy militias, in addition to the Russian diligent efforts to undermine regime forces and affiliated militias there.