After Russia’s guarantees | Agreement reached in Tafas city, defusing tension and ordering handing over of heavy weapons
Daraa Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Reliable sources in Daraa province have told SOHR that and agreement reached, under Russia’s sponsorship and guarantees, defusing the tension in Tafas city in the western countryside of Daraa and ordering the handing over of the heavy weapons in possession of the former opposition fighters and commanders in the city. According to the new agreement, no one will be forced to deported to north Syria, except only one commander called “Abu Tareq Al-Subayhi”.
Al-Subayhi is a prominent commander from Ataman town in western Daraa, and he will deport to north Syria with former fighters and commanders who want to leave Daraa. The agreement was reached after protracted meeting in Tafas attended by representatives of the Russians, the Russian-backed 5th Corps, the central committee in Hawaran, and the regime-backed 4th Division.
On the other hand, SOHR sources have reported that the flights by regime fighter jets over the western countryside of Daraa, a few hours ago, were just a massage to the ex-fighters in the region with the aim to scare them.
SOHR sources have just reported flights by regime fighter jets over the western countryside of Daraa for the first time since regime forces regained the entire province in 2018. This development coincided with the Russian and regime forces’ threats of launching a large-scale military operations with air and ground forces on the frontlines of western Daraa.
Meanwhile, tense calm was prevailing in the western countryside of Daraa, after Russian forces and the 4th Division announced a deadline for deporting several former fighters and commanders to north Syria or the Russians and the regime-baked division would unleash a large-scale military operation.
On the other hand, Syrian Observatory activists monitored the cities, towns and villages of Hawaran in south Syria region expressing solidarity with Tafas city. Former fighters, commanders and groups issued statements, expressing their solidarity with the people of Tafas, rejecting the deportation of anyone to north Syria and threatening to attack regime soldiers if a military operations was launched by regime forces in Tafast.
In a statement, of which the Syrian Observatory obtained a copy, the “revolutionaries of Nahteh town” in Daraa countryside of said “to our brothers, the brave revolutionaries of Tafas on the glorious frontlines, your bravery encouraged us. We see how tenacious you are. We want to tell you that our swards will defend you, we sacrifice ourselves for you, and we back you, so do not surrender. Your weapons are your honour, the revolutionaries are your sons, and the regime is your enemy.”
It is worth noting that the deadline granted by the Russians and the 4th Division ends on next Thursday.
Observatory sources reported earlier today that SOHR activists monitored an armed attack by unknown gunmen, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, on a checkpoint of the 15th Division of regime forces on the international highway near Syada town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The attack was followed by clashes between regime soldiers stationed on the checkpoint and the attackers, amid confirmed reports of casualties. This attack coincided with the ongoing tension in western Daraa.
On the other hand, unknown individuals in Tasil town in western countryside lifted placards, expressing solidarity with Tafas, which read “with the first shell hits Tafas, every regime soldier in Hawaran will be captured”.
Yesterday, SOHR sources said that regime forces and the 4th Division demanded, during a meeting held in Tafas city, a group of dignitaries and elders from Daraa province, the extradition or deportation of eight people to north Syria in no more 72 hours, and handing over the weapons in the city of Tafas in order to avoid a violent military operation in the area. According to SOHR sources regime forces gave the dignitaries a deadline until Thursday, the end of this week, to meet these demands.
According to SOHR sources, regime forces demanded the deportation of the eight people who were former fighters of local factions from the western region of Daraa.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Russian side and the Russian military police, who threatened to use the air force if the demands were not implemented until the deadline expired.
Syrian Observatory activists had documented a spike in the death toll of clashes in Tafas city, a day earlier, in western Daraa, which were the most violent clashes ever in Daraa since regime forces regained control of the province in 2018. According to SOHR sources, the number of fatalities among the regime-backed “4th Division” rose to 11, all killed in clashes with ex-fighters of “Fajr Al-Islam” faction led by Khaldoun Al-Zu’bi, after the attack by the “4th Division” of the faction’s headquarters had failed.
This attack came after the ex-fighters’ rejection of the demands of the “4th Division” to hand over their heavy weapons and leave to north Syria following the dramatic developments in Tafas city in January 13. On that day, fierce clashes erupted between “Kiwan” and “Al-Za’bi” tribes, during which four people of the two tribes were killed as well as the death of another woman after being hit with an indiscriminate gunshot.
On Sunday, SOHR sources said that former fighters of “Fajr al-Islam” faction, led by Khaldoun al-Zu’bi, captured three regime soldiers and attacked a checkpoint of the “4th Division”, north of Saham al-Golan town, taking the control of a checkpoint on Nafa’a-Al-Shajara road in Yarmouk Basin in Daraa countryside.