The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Recent developments in Daraa | Regime forces target positions in Daraa al-Balad with rockets and machineguns, and 130 persons to be evacuated to north Syria

Daraa province: SOHR sources have reported that regime forces and the 4th Division have interrupted the tense calm in Daraa province one again, as several rockets hit Daraa al-Balad and Tariq al-Sadd neighbourhoods, along with medium machinegun fire on Daraa al-Balad. However, no casualties have been reported.

Meanwhile, negotiations are still underway in order to reach a settlement and put an end to the state of tension and military escalation in the region, amid reports of reaching an agreement stipulating for the evacuation of 130 persons to north Syria region, while no further details on the agreement’s other terms have been reported so far.

On the other hand, local gunmen have delivered regime soldiers captured in the eastern countryside of Daraa to the 52nd Brigade in al-Harak, after mediation by the Russian-backed 8th Brigade, but the local gunmen kept holding several regime soldiers in west Daraa countryside.

SOHR sources have confirmed that the Russians are blaming the local gunmen for the current situation in Daraa.

SOHR sources documented this morning the death of a boy under the age of 18 and injury of a man after being shot by members of the air-force intelligence service stationed at a checkpoint on the road between Namer and Kherbet al-Ghazalah in the north-eastern countryside of Daraa, as the boy and the man were on their way to the  automated bread bakery in Kherbet al-Ghazalah town.

This incident coincided with the cautious calm throughout Daraa province, while a settlement under Russian supervision was expected to be reached in hours, amid reports of a ceasefire agreement that continued today. In connection to this, a swap took place in the past few hours between the central committee in the western countryside of Daraa and representatives of regime forces, as the bodies of four local fighters, including a former opposition commander, were delivered to the local gunmen in return for delivering the body of an officer of the 4th Division who was killed in the latest clashes to regime forces.

Last night, SOHR sources reported that thousands of civilians have been displaced from Daraa al-Balad, al-Sadd and Daraa camp, fleeing from regime attacks to safer places. Most of these people headed to neighbourhoods in Daraa al-Mahattah, amid poor transportation service and strict security measures and siege imposed by regime forces on several towns and village.

According to SOHR sources, the number of displaced people exceeded 10,000 after they managed to cross through the Military Battalion checkpoint.

Meanwhile, security tension continued in Daraa province, along with the ongoing negotiations between regime forces and the Central Committee in Howaran, amid reports of reaching a formula of a settlement under Russian supervision.

SOHR source had reported that regime forces brought in military reinforcement to the checkpoints of Jasim city, in addition bringing heavy weapons, including tanks, to al-Sahm and al-Jabiya checkpoints in the countryside of Daraa.

On the other hand, regime forces stationed in Tel Mahs shelled civilians’ houses with heavy artillery in Jassim city.

Similarly, regime soldiers stationed at the Irrigation Corporation checkpoint east of Muzayrib town and west of Daraa opened heavy machineguns fire at the farms surrounding the town.

Moreover, an artillery shell was fired on the vicinity of Tel al-Samn west of Tafas town in the western countryside of Daraa.

Meanwhile, the members of an armed group affiliated to a former commander of the opposition factions in Daraa imposed curfew on al-Shajarah town.