Timeline | Recent developments across Syria
June 4, 2021
Regime-controlled areas
-Reliable sources have reported that ISIS members attacked positions and posts of regime forces and their proxies in Faydat Ibn Muwani’ in al-Mayadeen desert in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, where clashes erupted between the two sides. Meanwhile, regime forces fired several rockets in an attempt to foil the attack which left five regime soldiers and loyalists dead. ISIS also lost two members in these clashes.
-On the other hand, SOHR activists have documented the death of seven regime soldiers and loyalists, including a brigadier general in a surprise attack by ISIS members in al-Sukhnah desert in the eastern countryside of Homs, near the administrative border with Deir Ezzor. Also, three ISIS members were killed in the attack. This development coincides with ISIS escalating operations in the Syrian desert, despite the intensive airstrikes by Russian fighter jets.
-Syrian Observatory activists have documented the death of a man “collaborating” with the 4th Division and the Lebanese Hezbollah, succumbing to his wounds sustained yesterday in an IED explosion in al-Mu’alaqah village in al-Quneitra countryside, near the border with the occupied Syrian Golan. The explosion also injured others.
-Reliable sources have told SOHR that the Iranian-backed militias have suspended working in “Fatema al-Zahraa” hospital in al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor until further notice. This decision comes after the Iranians’ inability to bear the cost of treatment in the hospital, especially with the large number of civilians and militiamen who go to the hospital for treatment on a daily basis as well as the lack of hospital’s operational capacity. It is worth noting that the Iranian-backed militias had seized a villa belonging to a civilian from al-Mayadeen in 2018 and turned it into a hospital with full supprt by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
– Daraa province: SOHR activists have reported that unknown armed men opened fire on a member of local factions working with the 8th Brigade of the Russian-backed 5th Corps backed by Russia in Barqa village near Inkhel city, north of Daraa, injuring him seriously. It is worth noting that the targeted man was a former fighter in opposition factions before striking a reconciliation deal in 2018.
Aleppo
-SOHR activists have confirmed the death of a Turkish soldier in yesterday’s bombardment by Kurdish forces on areas under the control of “Olive Branch” operations room in the north-western countryside of Aleppo. It is worth noting that the bombardment also killed a Turkish-backed militiaman and injured other Turkish soldiers.
-SOHR activists have reported that members of “al-Waqqas Brigade” have brutally beaten 12 people from Hakja village of Sheikh Hadeed district in the northern countryside of Afrin in north-western Aleppo, after detaining them for hours, as these residents expelled shepherds from Idlib providing, while they were overgrazing their sheep in the arrested residents’ fields and orchards. The faction has released the residents and kept only one person in its custody until his brother hands himself over to the factions, as he insulted one of the shepherds.
SDF-held area
-SOHR sources have reported that the administration of al-Hawl camp has evacuated 59 families of nearly 202 people, mostly from Ain al-Arab city and countryside (Kobani), from the camp yesterday as a part of the initiative by “Syrian Democratic Council” (SDC) to evacuate Syrians from Al-Hawl camp.
SOHR activists have reported several demonstration after Friday Prayer in villages in Manbij countryside like Hodhod village, as the demonstrators called for the improvement of services and economy and the suspension of the mandatory conscription, although the campaign of mandatory conscription has been already suspended in Manbij. Meanwhile, the city of Manbij has experienced no demonstrations, while Asayish forces were seen deployed.
-SOHR activists have reported that two assailants on a motorbike shot a former ISIS member dead in Al-Beseiteen village in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.
“De-escalation zone”
SOHR sources have reported that regime forces fired several rockets in the early ours of Friday morning on positions in Kafr Oweid, Sfuhen, Fulayfel, Bayanin, the surrounding areas of al-Bara and Kansafrah in the southern countryside of Idlib. Regime forces also targeted frontlines in Sahl al-Ghab in north-western countryside of Hama with heavy machineguns, but no casualties have been reported.
-SOHR activists have reported the withdrawal of Turkish forces stationed in a school in Ram Hamadan town in northern Idlib, where they repositioned in posts in the town’s eastern part, between Zardana and Ibbin Sam’an. Meanwhile, a Turkish helicopter was seen flying at a low attitude over Kafr Lusin and Atma on the Syria border with Iskenderun in northern Idlib for unknown reasons.