The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Near town controlled by former opposition fighters | 12 members of regime intelligence and 4th Division killed in ambush by gunmen affiliated to former opposition commander in western countryside of Daraa

SOHR activists have documented the death of 12 members of regime intelligence service and 4th Division in an ambush by gunmen affiliated to a former opposition commander called “Abu Tariq Al-Subaihi” nearby Al-Muzayreb town in the western countryside of Daraa. Violent clashes erupted between regime members and the attackers, while regime forces sent large military reinforcement to the area.

It is worth noting that Al-Muzayreb town in rural Daraa is free of regime forces and it is completely under the control of ex-fighters of opposition factions. The town also experienced dramatic developments a few weeks ago, before an agreement was reached under Russia’s sponsorship and guarantees on January 26.

SOHR sources reported earlier this morning that regime security services attempted to storm the headquarters of “Abu Tariq Al-Subaihi”, a former opposition commander who is responsible for the killing of nine members of regime security services in an attack on Al-Muzayreb police outpost in early May 2020. According to SOHR sources, fierce clashes erupted between the commander and several gunmen from the area on one hand, and security groups affiliated to regime forces which attempted to storm the ex-commander’s headquarters in an area between Al-Yadoudah and Al-Muzayreb towns in the western countryside of Daraa on the other.

The clashes left casualties on both sides, amid growing security tension in the area. Meanwhile, regime forces fired several rockets on the area, just after the violent clashes.

On January 26, reliable sources in Daraa province told SOHR that an agreement was reached, under Russia’s sponsorship and guarantees, defusing the recent state of tension in Tafas city in the western countryside of Daraa and ordering the handing over of the heavy weapons in the possession of former opposition fighters and commanders in the city. According to the new agreement, no one would be forced to displace to north Syria, except for only one commander called “Abu Tareq Al-Subayhi”. Al-Subayhi is a prominent commander from Ataman town in western Daraa, and was supposed to be deported to north Syria with former fighters and commanders who wanted to leave Daraa. The agreement was reached after a 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.