Along with continuous displacement of Daraa people | Protests in Tafas express solidarity with Daraa al-Balad residents

Daraa province: SOHR activists have reported that residents in Tafs area in Daraa countryside have staged a demonstration, expressing solidarity with Daraa al-Balad people who are under a siege imposed by regime forces and their proxy militias.

 

In a related context, SOHR has monitored ongoing civilian exodus from Dara al-Balad and surrounding areas to Daraa al-Mahattah and surrounding villages in order to be stay away from a possible military operation in the case that negotiations between the Central Committee in Hawaran and regime forces, under Russian supervision, fail.

 

On the other hand, regime forces continued their sporadic attacks with  heavy machineguns on some towns and cities in Daraa.

 

Today, SOHR activists had reported new de-escalation reached in Daraa that would continue till midnight of Tuesday and would coincide with the beginning of a new round of negotiations between the regime officer and the Russians on one hand and central committee in Hawran on the other.

 

It is worth noting that the central committee in Hawran submitted a proposal that demands the entry of the forces of the 15th Division and the military security escorting by the 8th Brigade that is backed by Russia into positions in Daraa al-Balad districts along with carrying out limited searching operations for some houses in the presence of the central committee in Hawran, and hold the forces of the 4th Division accountable for killing civilians under Russian supervision. The committee also demanded access of the Russian military police to the Daraa al-Balad to monitor the implementation of the deal in addition to withdraw reinforcement of the 4th Division from around Daraa city. Talks held upon the proposal amid cautious clam that prevails Daraa al-Balad.

 

Earlier this morning, SOHR activists reported renewing clashes between the regime forces and its security service on one hand and local gunmen on the other after the militants have attacked the regime checkpoints in Nawy city western Daraa.

 

Meanwhile, a mortar shell has been dropped on Mazar’a Taafas neighborhood in western Daraa where a post of the regime-backed militia is stationed. Also, clashes continue sporadically at the frontline in Daraa al-Balad in Daraa city between the regime and the 4th Division forces on one hand and local militants on the other, where the latter has broken vehicles of the forces while they were targeting the area amid information about deaths and wounds.

 

On the other hand, local gunmen in Da’al have bombarded the police station of the air intelligence in the city after it has been evacuated of its members.

 

Yesterday, SOHR activists reported that several areas in Daraa were under attack by regime checkpoints on the outskirts of cities, towns and villages throughout Daraa province, as regime forces targeted Daraa al-Balad, Tafas, al-Muzayrib and al-Yadouda with heavy machineguns and shells. However, no casualties have been reported.

 

This military escalation came a few hours after the negotiations between the delegations of the Syrian regime and the central committee in Hawaran had come to a deadlock.

 

Meanwhile, SOHR activists reported the displacement of thousands of civilians from Daraa al-Balad, Daraa al-Mahatta to surrounding villages. It is worth noting that Daraa city hosts nearly 45,000 people who have been under a tight siege by regime forces for more than a week.

 

SOHR activists reported that negotiations in Daraa were postponed till Tuesday after they reached a deadlock due to the regime’s conditions which were considered humiliating to Daraa people and figures.

 

It is worth noting that the regime demanded to raise the internationally recognized Syrian flag on the top of al-Omary mosque, impose its control on the entire city of Daraa and deploy checkpoints throughout the region. In addition, the Syrian regime demanded several suspects leave the region or hand themselves and their weapons over.

 

Meanwhile, Huwaran central committee did not get an answer from the regime regarding the mandatory service for Daraa young men, at a time when representatives of the residents and the negotiating committee demanded that the region’s young men spend the duration of their military service in the ranks of the 8th Brigade.

 

The negotiations were attended by the head of the security committee in the south Syria region Hosam Loqa, the head of the military security branch Loai al-Ali, the Brigadier General Ghyath Dallah, the leader of the 1st Corps and the Syrian regime Defense Minister.

 

On the other hand, a regime delegation threatened to “destroy Daraa over the heads of its people” if the delegation’s demands were not fulfilled.

 

In this context, regime forces targeted Daraa al-Balad with artillery, tanks and heavy machine guns.

 

A few hours earlier, SOHR activists reported hearing heavy gunfire in Daraa al-Balad, after the departure of Russian delegation from Daraa city, without revealing the latest meeting’s outcomes.

 

Today, a Russian delegation had entered Daraa al-Balad in order to meet with the central committees for resuming negotiations after they finished negotiating with the regime following the meeting with a high-ranking military figure in regime forces, believed to be the Syrian regime Defense minister, and some representatives of the area under Russian supervision.