Security chaos incidents in Daraa | Nearly 30 civilians and combatants killed in 36 attacks in January 2023
As violence and security chaos in Daraa province, south of Syria, has dramatically escalated and continued in an upward trend amid the failure of the regime’s security services to put an end to this situation, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented 36 attacks, assassinations, and explosions. These attacks have left 28 people dead; they are as follows:
• Eight civilians.
• 13 regime soldiers, members and collaborators with regime security services.
• One former fighter who did not join any military formation, after striking reconciliation deals.
• Four ISIS members.
• Two ex-combatants with settled-status working for regime services and backed militias.
The Syrian Observatory has monitored and tracked the circumstances of the assassinations and attacks that have taken place in Daraa since early January 2023. The details of these attacks are summarised as follows:
• January 1: A young man died of wounds he sustained after being shot by unidentified gunmen in front of his home a few days earlier in Al-Ghariyah Al-Sharqiyyah in the eastern countryside of Daraa. It is worth noting that the dead man was a former member of the opposition factions and struck the settlement and reconciliation deal with the regime in 2018, and did not join any military formation.
• January 2: A civilian was killed by unidentified gunmen in Al-Harak city in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The gunmen fled to an unknown destination. It is worth noting that the victim owns a “bread bakery,” and does not belong to any military formation.
• January 3: Two members of a “State Security” checkpoint were killed and others were injured. The injured people were taken to Al-Sanamayn national hospital for treatment. Also, a teacher who was near the checkpoint was killed at dawn today in Salmin town in northern Daraa countryside in an attack on a checkpoint by unidentified gunmen.
• January 4: A woman was shot dead directly by unidentified gunmen on her way to send her child off to a school in the Tariq Al-Sadd neighbourhood in Daraa. It is worth noting that the woman is from Tariq Al Sadd neighbourhood and works as a “kindergarten teacher.”
• January 4: Unidentified gunmen targeted an officer in charge of the eastern checkpoint of Basr Al-Harir city and his companions with an IED near Al-Kaziyah Al-Sharqiyyah near the transport battalion, amid reports that members of the checkpoints were injured and the officer escaped towards the “5th Division” military battalions near the targeting site.
• January 6: A young man was directly shot dead, due to disputes between him and another person in Al-Yadoda town in western Daraa countryside, causing armed clashes and the house of the shooter was set on fire before he fled to an unknown destination, amid tension in the region.
• January 6: Two civilians were injured in indiscriminate gunfire by a group of the military intelligence service in Al-Sanamayn city in Daraa countryside. The two civilians were taken to the hospital.
• January 6: An officer of military intelligence service sustained injuries in the explosion of an IED in Shaqra village in the north of Izraa city in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The officer was taken to the hospital.
• January 6: Gunmen on two motorbikes targeted the house of a civilian in Al-Awja village western of Al-Mazirib city in western Daraa countryside, leading to injuries.
• January 7: Unknown individuals planted an IED on the road between Namir and Salmeen towns in the north-western countryside of Daraa, targeted a regime vehicle. There are unconfirmed reports of casualties because of the IED explosion.
• January 7: Unidentified gunmen assassinated a regime soldier in Al-Sanmin city in northern Daraa countryside. In the same context, clashes and exchanged shootings took place in the region following the assassination.
• January 9: A young man was severely injured, when he was shot by unidentified gunmen, while he was on the road between Al-Hirak city and Namir town in eastern Daraa countryside and the gunmen fled to an unknown destination.
• January 9: A young man accused of “working with Lebanese Hezbollah militias” was injured, when his house was attacked by unidentified gunmen on the road between Al-Taiba and Al-Mata’iyah in eastern Daraa countryside.
• January 9: two unidentified gunmen on a motorbike threw a hand grenade at members of a regime’s security patrol stationed near Bosra field southern of Daraa city, before they fled to an unknown destination, amid security mobilization of regime forces in the region. However, no casualties were reported.
• January 11: A young man was shot in the “thigh” with direct bullets by unidentified persons riding a motorcycle, on suspicion that he had known them while wandering through a road in the northern countryside of Daraa city. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. It is worth noting that the two gunmen work for the groups responsible for the assassinations.
• January 12: A non-commissioned officer ranked as assistant and belongs to the regime’s 15th Division was shot dead on the military road between Tel Shehab and Kharab Al-Shahm in western Daraa countryside.
• January 16: SOHR activists reported that a commander of the general intelligence administration, who is affiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah, was shot dead while he was inside a house in Al-Hara city in north-western Daraa countryside.
• January 16: A girl was killed in Al-Hara town in the northern countryside of Daraa, accompanied by a leader of the General Intelligence Department who is close to the Lebanese Hezbollah, who was assassinated yesterday evening after being shot by unidentified gunmen. It is worth noting that the girl is from Al-Hara town, north of Daraa, and is known for her close relations with regime officers.
• January 17: The head of Da’il district in northern Daraa countryside was injured when unidentified gunmen shot him directly while he was on a street in front of the district building. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment. It is worth noting that the victim is from Deir Ezzor province and has previously threatened to arrest wanted people from Da’il district and surrender them to regime forces.
• January 17: A young man was shot directly over a dispute with another person in Al-Taybeh town in the eastern countryside of Daraa.
• January 18: A young man was killed in clashes that erupted in Al-Jazirah town in the eastern countryside of Daraa following a tribal dispute between two families that developed to use weapons.
• January 18: A civilian was injured when he was shot by unidentified gunmen in Al-Harak town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The man was taken to hospital for treatment.
• January 18: The residents found the dead body of a member of the National Defence with gunshot wounds dumped on the ground in the farms in Sajinah district of Daraa Al-Balad. It is worth noting that the dead man worked for “National Defence” militia led by Mustafa Al-Masalmeh “Al-Kasem” of the Military Intelligence Branch.
• January 18: A captain of the regime forces was killed and two police officers, accompanied by him, were injured by the explosion of an IED planted on a road targeting a patrol near Basra Square in Daraa city. The injured people were treated by Red Crescent operatives at a hospital.
• January 19: A civilian who works in “Al-Hal” market in Nawa city and does not belong to any military or security formation was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Nawa city in the western countryside of Daraa.
• January 20: A civilian was injured after being shot by unidentified gunmen while he was in a shop in Al-Hariq area, west of Al-Harak town in the eastern countryside of Daraa. The man was moved to the hospital for treatment.
• January 20: The leader “pledged allegiance to ISIS,” from Al-Muzairib town, named “Muhammad Al-Shaghajuri was killed along with two of his companions during the clashes that erupted in Al-Muzayrib in the western countryside of Daraa a day earlier. Al-Shaghajuri was a former leader of Syrian Free Army, and struck a reconciliation deal with the regime in 2018.
• January 24: Two members of a local faction led by “Abu Hayyan,” working for “military security service,” were killed by unidentified gunmen in the national park on the outskirts of Tsil town in the western countryside of Daraa.
• January 24: Two young men, accused of drug trafficking and drug promotion, were seriously injured by unidentified gunmen in Nawa town in the western countryside of Daraa. The young men were taken to hospital for treatment.
• January 26: A collaborator with the security services was killed in Tafas city in the western countryside of Daraa after being shot directly by unidentified gunmen. The man is a car dealer and works for a local military security group.
• January 26: A civilian accused by the people of participating in incursions by the regime forces in Daraa Al-Balad area and Karak town in the eastern countryside of Daraa was killed.
• January 26: Two members of the Military Intelligence Branch were shot dead by unknown persons in an attack on a military vehicle carrying members of the Military Intelligence Division in Daraa Al-Mahatta city. The gunmen fled to an unknown destination.
• January 26: A young man was injured when he was targeted by unidentified gunmen in Nawa city in Daraa countryside.
• January 26: Unidentified gunmen targeted with an IED a car in the northern district of Daraa, causing material damages only.
• January 26: A doctor was killed near the site of armed clashes that erupted between a group of the regime’s Military Intelligence and members of the 5th Division on one hand and members of a checkpoint of the General Intelligence on the other hand in Al-Kashif neighbourhood near Al-Basil garden in Daraa city.
The clashes left two members of the Airforce Intelligence and a member of the regime’s Internal Security dead and left others, some seriously, injured.
Since early 2023, the number of attacks documented by SOHR in Daraa province has risen to 36, which left 28 people dead; and they are as follows:
• Eight civilians, including two women.
• 13 regime soldiers, members and collaborators with regime security services.
• One former fighter who did not join any military formation, after striking reconciliation deals.
• Four ISIS members.
• Two Ex-combatants with settled-status working for regime services and backed militias.