Violations in Daraa governorate | Clashes erupt between regime forces and 5th Corps in countryside
Daraa Governorate- Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:
SOHR sources have monitored clashes with machine guns in the town of Sayda, east of Daraa, this evening, between two groups, one is belonging to the Military Intelligence branch and the other belonging to the Russian-backed Fifth Corps, without knowing the reasons, amid state of panic and fear among civilians. No casualties have been reported.
On November 24, SOHR sources confirmed that members of the regime-backed 5th Corps have stormed a mosque in Al-Baq’aa neighbourhood in the west of Al-Lajat area in the eastern countryside of Daraa, destroying the mosque’s “minbar” (a pulpit in a mosque where the imam stands to deliver sermons) and sabotaging its contents. Moreover, the regime-backed militiamen prevented the residents from entering the mosque or even get close to it under the pretext that the mosque and its facilities be used by regime forces only.
Regime security services and branches have established tens of security and military checkpoints throughout Daraa since regime forces recaptured the province in southern Syria, after a large-scale operation unleashed on June 26, 2018, with Russia’s support, and ended on July 31, 2018 when a deal was reached, stipulating the displacement of individuals rejecting “reconciliations”.
SOHR sources monitored nearly 100 checkpoints and military posts established by regime forces and loyal militias in areas which used to be outside the regime’s control before the “reconciliation” agreement and the displacement to northern Syria region of people who refused to accept “reconciliations” with the security services. These developments followed with the aim of tightening the “security grip” on areas where “reconciliation deals” have been struck.