Alarming escalation of violence in Daraa | Over 40 people killed in March in light of rampant security chaos

As violence and insecurity chaos in Daraa province, south of Syria, has dramatically escalated and continued in an upward trend, the Syrian Observatory has documented 46 attacks, murders and incidents of security instability in different places in Daraa province in March, which left 41 deaths, and they are:

• 26 civilians, including a woman and two children

• Three “collaborators” with security services.

• Seven regime soldiers.

• Three individuals with settled-status, who were “collaborating” with regime security services.

• Two ex-fighters who struck reconciliation deals and did not join any armed groups.

The Syrian Observatory has monitored and tracked all key developments of the assassinations and attacks that have taken place in Daraa since early March. The details of these attacks are summarised as follows:

• March 1: A pump attendant was killed and another was injured in Al-Jawhara petrol station in an armed robbery in northern Daraa countryside.

• March 1: A young man was shot by unidentified gunmen on motorbikes in the centre of Tel Shihab town, west of Daraa.

• March 6: Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a young man and his friend near Moussa Bin Nassir hospital in Al-Sabeel neighbourhood in Daraa city, killing the young man and injuring his friend.

• March 8: A former commander and a former member of “Shabab Al-Sunna” faction, who struck settlement deals, were shot in Da’el city in middle Daraa countryside, where the member was killed and the commander was injured.

• March 8: A civilian, who had been released from the regime’s security branch months earlier, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jasim city, north of Daraa.

• March 9: A former fighter of factions was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jasim city in northern Daraa countryside. It is worth noting that the dead man had struck a reconciliation deal with regime forces and worked for regime security services.

• March 9: Two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike shot dead a civilian in front of his house in Sahem Al-Golan town in the western Daraa countryside.

• March 10: Unknown gunmen shot dead a civilian in the western neighbourhood in Nawa city in Daraa countryside. It is worth noting that the victim had been a former fighter of opposition factions before he struck a reconciliation deal in 2018.

• March 12: Residents found the body of a man from Daraa Al-Balad neighbourhood, near Al-Sawamea area and Om Al-Mayazen town in Daraa countryside. The man was found dead with gunshot wounds after being kidnapped three days earlier near Al-Tayibah town in the eastern countryside of Daraa.

• March 14: A young man operating under the banner of the “Eighth Brigade” of the Fifth Corps was shot daed by unknown persons in Al-Shajarah town in the eastern countryside of Daraa.

• March 15: A young man was killed by indiscriminate gunfire in clashes between regime forces and a rebel group in Jasim city in the northern Daraa countryside.

• March 15: Five regime soldiers were killed in clashes between regime General Intelligence Department and State Security service on one hand, and local fighters on the other in Jasim city in northern Daraa countryside.

• March 16: A civilian was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Al-Muzayrib town in the western countryside of Daraa.

• March 16: Unknown gunmen shot dead a civilian in Tafas city in western Daraa.

• March 16: Gunmen shot dead a collaborator with the Military Security Branch in an area between the cities of Da’el and Tafas in Daraa countryside.

• March 17: Unidentified gunmen shot dead the head of Jasim municipality in Daraa countryside.

• March 18: Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a civilian in Al-Kark Al-Sharqy town in the eastern Daraa countryside, killing him immediately.

• March 19: Unidentified gunmen shot dead a civilian in the southern neighbourhood in Tafas city in the western Daraa countryside.

• March 21: Residents found a young man working for a regime security branch dead with gunshot wounds on his body near the automated bread bakery in Tasil town in the western countryside of Daraa.

• March 22: Residents found the body of a young man on the road between Sahem Al-Golan and Tasil towns. The young man, who was from Rasm Al-Dood village in Yarmouk Basin in Daraa, was accused of “participation in armed robberies and killing civilians in the region.”

• March 23: A person was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the southern district of Da’el in the central countryside of Daraa.

• March 24: Unknown gunmen shot dead the head of Al-Sanamayn municipality in the northern countryside of Daraa.

• March 27: Unidentified gunmen shot dead two young men in Sanamayn city in the northern countryside of Daraa.

• March 27: A civilian from Tafas city in western Daraa was shot dead by unidentified gunmen near Tasil town in the western countryside in Daraa.

• March 29: A man nicknamed “Al-Saydali” (The Pharmacist) and his wife were killed when unidentified gunmen threw a grenade at the man’s house in Al-Sanamayn town in the northern countryside of Daraa.

• March 29: A doctor working for the “Eighth Brigade” at Bosra Al-Harir hospital in the eastern countryside of Daraa was killed by the explosion of an IED in his car in Mahjah town in the northern countryside of Daraa.

• March 29: A civilian was shot dead in Naseeb area in eastern Daraa countryside.

• March 30: Two regime soldiers were shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Da’el-Daraa highway in the central sector of Daraa province.

• March 30: Two civilians from Al-Quneitra countryside were shot by unknown gunmen on the road between Jasim and Nawa cities in the northern countryside of Daraa.

• March 30: A civilian from Masaken Jilin village in the western countryside of Daraa was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the village.

• March 30: A little boy and his baby brother died while their sister sustained cuts all over her body, after unknown gunmen had stormed their house in Al-Harrak town in the eastern countryside of Daraa and stabbed the three with sharp tools.

• March 31: Ex- opposition fighter, who underwent a “settlement” deal following the regime’s control of Daraa in 2018 and did not join any military faction, was shot dead by unidentified persons in Al-Misifrah town, east of Daraa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has been all along warning against the repercussions of the rampant and crippling chronic crises and security chaos in regime-controlled areas, especially Daraa. We, at the Syrian Observatory, renew our appeal to protect the civilians and call upon all international actors not to abandon their responsibility and obligations towards the people of Syria and urge them to find a lasting solution to the tragedy of millions of Syrians and bring Al-Assad, his affiliates and all those responsible for violations and those who aided and abetted the killing of Syrian people to justice.