The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Timeline | Recent developments across Syria

 

August 17, 2021

 

Regime-controlled areas

 

-SOHR activists have reported death of a civilian in Om al-Myazen town in east Daraa countryside after being tortured in Sidnaya military prison after being detained for more than two years.

 

-Russian warplanes have carried out above 30 air strikes on the Syrian desert, in al-Shoula desert southern Deir Ezzor, and al-Rasafah desert in west of al-Raqqa. The attacks coincided with combing operations in search for ISIS and the explosion of al-Moa’z that was believed to be used by ISIS to hide their logistics.

 

-Unknown gunmen have shot dead a civilian from al-Shagarah town in west Daraa countryside, after they intercepted his road while passing in al-Samiryah region at the road between Jaileen-Masakin Jaleen road in western Daraa.

 

-SOHR activists have reported that the Negotiation Committees met with the Russian forces and regime officers in Daraa city today to resume negotiations about implementing the Russian roadmap. Meanwhile, Daraa Negotiation Committees still refuse handing over light weapons, amid stalled negotiations.

 

A few hours ago, regime forces brought military reinforcement into western Daraa countryside, where they stationed in Tal al-Samn and al-Tirah village in north Tafs city. On the other hand, the regime forces seized civilian’s houses and turned them into military posts then deployed their forces at al-Afnah checkpoint near Tal al-Samn in west Daraa countryside. The regime forces also deployed its fighters at Karfa town’s bridge and over Tamr town’s bridge and supported the two checkpoints with armored vehicles and heavy weapons, coincided with heavy security deployment at the international autostrada from the bridge of Azra city towards Om al-Mayzeen town in east Daraa countryside.

 

Earlier today, the regime forces bombarded the besieged Daraa al-Balad with mortars and heavy gun machines. In the other hand, clashes erupted in the early hours of Tuesday between local gunmen from Daraa al-Balad on one side and the regime forces on the other at the besieged outskirt in Daraa al-Balad. Meanwhile, the regime forces bombarded with mortars Sayda and Om al-Mayazeen neighborhood in eastern Daraa countryside after another attack with machine guns by local gunmen in the region at the frontlines of the Syrian forces in Sayda.

 

-SOHR activists have reported that a fire broke out in a military post of regime forces and Iranian militias, after being targeted with three Israeli missiles in Qurs al-Nafl hill in the west to Huder town in the northern countryside of al-Qunaitra. However, no casualties have been reported yet. SOHR activists have just reported hearing loud explosions in the northern countryside of al-Qunaitra due to Israeli shelling on military positions near Huder town, where Iranian-backed militias are stationed.

 

 

 

SDF-held areas

 

-Turkish forces and its proxies shelled with heavy machines, in the early hours of Tuesday, Derdarah and Tal Shanan villages and artillery shells were dropped near the Russian base in Tal Amr countryside in al-Hasakah. Also, in the morning, the electricity station in Tal Tamr has been targeted with several shells which caused material losses.

 

-SOHR activists, yesterday, have reported the death of a young man and a lady from Aleppo city after being shot dead by unknown gunmen who are most probably members of ISIS in the fourth section in al-Hawal camp in al-Hasakah countryside.

 

-Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces have stormed houses of civilians in al-A’alyat district in al-Sousah town in eastern Deir Ezzor, and have arrested a civilian, but reasons for the detention remained unknown. On the other hand, two unknown gunmen on a motorbike have shot a headquarters of SDF in al-Bosirah city in eastern Deir Ezzor which wounded SDF’s member.

 

-US forces toured on Tuesday an ordinary patrol in al-Malikyya town (Deerik), which is composed of four military armored vehicles that toured the city while two helicopters were flying over the area. While roaming the area, the US forces have stopped in al-Kurnish street inside the city and the US soldiers have walked among the civilians.

 

-Members of the Internal Security Forces (al-Asaysh) with support of the International Coalition have arrested a person leading a dormant ISIS cell in al-Hasakah city with gun machines and weapons in his possession.

 

-SOHR activists have reported the entry of over 30 vehicles of the International Coalition, carrying cement blocks, to the Syrian territory from Kurdistan region of Iraq. The convoy entered via al-Waleed border crossing and headed to the American military base in al-Malikiyah city (Dayrek). It is worth noting that this is the second convoy to enter Syria since the beginning of August. The entry of the Coalition’s convoy to Syria coincided with flights by helicopters over the region and American patrols roaming in the city.

 

-SOHR activists have reported that number of people killed by the Turkish artillery fire on the countryside of Tel Tamr and Abu Raseen in the countryside of al-Hasakah has risen to two, a woman and a little girl. Moreover, 12 other civilians were injured, including women and children, some seriously, as the Turkish shells hit civilians’ houses and residential neighborhoods in the countryside of al-Hasakah. A short while ago, SOHR activists reported that a little girl was killed and five other civilians were injured by Turkish ground shelling on the countryside of Abu Raseen (Zarkan).

 

On the same context, Turkish forces and their proxies shelled positions in the countryside of Tel Tamr and Abu Raseen in the countryside of al-Hasakah province, targeting Tel Shenan, Bab al-Khair, Bab al-Farag in Abu Raseen, and the vicinity of the Asayish headquarter, amid reports of injuries. On the other hand, the area experienced large displacement movement of civilians who used no cars, fearing of being targeted. Accordingly, the civilians fled from the area on motorbikes and on barefoot.

 

 

“De-escalation zone”

 

-Jihadist factions have targeted, with heavy artillery, the regime forces at the frontline of Gobas near Saraqeb in east Aleppo city. On the other hand, factions have targeted with mortars in Aorm al-kubra town and Ma’amal al-Za’tar in western Aleppo countryside. Also, mortars stroke posts and meeting points of regime forces, yesterday, in Joureen countryside in Sahal al0Ghab, northwest of Hama.

 

-Members of HTS security forces have attacked in the morning a camp of Ahl al-Sham (Kafrouma) in north Kally town in north Idlib countryside. The forces have fired indiscriminate shooting while attempting to arrest the wanted persons, which caused wounding of a civilian. Moreover, a female has been beaten by HTS’s members while she was resisting the security men. On August 9, HTS arrested a young man from Kafrdly Fouqany during their attempted sneaking into the Turkish lands from Idlib coming from Tal al-Shaeer village under control of the Kurdish forces, while his fate is still unknown.

 

-SOHR activists have reported that unknown gunmen assassinated a Moroccan jihadist affiliated with Harakat Sham al-Islam in al-Nahr al-Abyad area near the HTS checkpoint in the northern countryside of Jisr al-Shugor, west of Idlib.