Daraa | Security chaos grows as forces in charge stand idly

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored this morning growing tension in the city of Daraa controlled by the Syrian regime and its allies, following a dispute between two groups in Daraa al-Balad in the city. The dispute has evolved into clashes using RPG and gunfire was heard. No information has been reported to date about the causes of the dispute. This comes in light of the chaos spreading throughout the province.

On December 23, SOHR sources said that a young man was found dead today and dumped on the road between Al-Ghariyah Al-Gharbiyah and Al-Ghariyah Al-Sharqiyah in the eastern countryside of Daraa with marks of gunshots at head. According to local sources the victim is from Shahbaa city in Al-Suwaidaa.

Since the beginning of the security chaos in Daraa in early June 2019, Syrian Observatory activists have documented more than 819 attacks and assassination attempts by gunfire and detonations of IEDs, motorcycle-bombs and car-bombs. These attacks and assassinations claimed the lives of 533 persons, categorised as follows:

• 151 civilians, including 12 women and 16 children

• 236 regime soldiers, loyalists and collaborators with regime security services

• 104 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

• 24 members of the so-called 5th Corps which was established by Russia.