Aerial, rocket and missile bombardment end the alleged regime truce in Daraa, Quneitra and Al-Suwaidaa Desert

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that helicopters dropped last night more than 15 barrel bombs on areas in Daraa al-Balad in Daraa city and other areas in al-Naemeh town east of Daraa, where the aerial bombardment was preceded by rocket shelling by the regime forces targeted Daraa city and al-Naemeh town and other areas in the village of Ayib in al-Lajat area, also shells landed on places controlled by the regime forces on Daraa city, but no information about casualties, also the factions targeted at the noon of yesterday areas in Izra’a town and its outskirts which is under the control of the regime forces,

Reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that Russia has forced the regime forces to stop the clashes and shelling on Daraa and its countryside to make the factions accept attending the planned Astana meeting, but the same sources confirmed to the observatory that the factions refused to attend the meeting, where the Syrian Observatory was published that calm prevails in al-Suwaidaa desert and the provinces of al-Quneitra and Daraa since the afternoon of the 3rd of July, 2017 and will continue till the midnight of the 6th of July 2017. Sources informed the Syrian Observatory that the calm was interrupted by bursts of fire that targeted al-Yaduda village west of Daraa, in addition to the fall of more shells on places in Izra’a area which is controlled by the regime forces in the countryside of Daraa.

It worth mentioning that the military operations in Daraa were resumed on the 20th of June 2017, where Daraa city and its countryside have witnessed since then until the midnight of Sunday-Monday today air and missile strikes with hundreds of raids, barrel bombs, shells and missiles, which killed and injured tens of people, in addition to battles in areas at Daraa Camp, Tariq al-Sadd and al-Manshiyyeh neighborhood in Daraa city, between the regime forces and the militiamen loyal to them against the rebel and Islamic factions, in which tens of both parties were killed and injured.

It worth mentioning that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 20th of June 2017 that the American – Russian – Jordanian truce was supposed to be extended automatically after the midnight of Monday – Tuesday, but the air and missile strikes prevented that, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 19th of June 2017 that the clam prevails Daraa city after extending the Russian-American-Jordanian truce for another 24 hours, after the end of the first 48 hours which was set previously to apply the agreement that began at 12 pm the day before yesterday the 17th of June 2017, the Syrian Observatory did not document in the first two hours of the extension any violations in the city of Daraa, which witnessed a calm situation in the last 50 hours, but with the fall of shells launched by the regime forces and targeted areas controlled by the factions in the city, while the first hour of applying the regional -International agreement witnessed launching several shells by the regime forces on areas in Daraa al-Balad, also the warplanes carried out several raids targeting areas in the vicinity of Daraa Camp and areas in Daraa city.

This 48 hours of calm that prevailed the city as a result of the agreement, came after violent clashes in the city, which has taken place since the implementation of “de-escalation zones” agreement on the 6th of May 2017 between the regime forces, militiamen loyal to them and Lebanese Hezbollah against the rebel and Islamic factions and fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham in areas in Daraa al-Balad and the vicinity of Daraa camp from the 3rd of June 2017 until the afternoon of the 17th of May 2017, and these clashes were accompanied by the most violent escalation witnessed by Daraa since months, where the regime forces, warplanes and helicopters launched more than 2000 airstrikes, barrel bombs, missiles believed to be ground to ground, and rocket and artillery shells on Daraa city, which caused huge destruction in the infrastructure of buildings and houses of civilians, and left casualties, while tens of fighters of the factions and members of the regime forces have been killed in these battles. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also monitored caution by the factions regarding the implementation of this agreement at this time, especially that the agreement is only for 48 hours.

The agreement came after an intense shelling on the city and after the arrival of military reinforcements brought by the regime forces to take part in the battle of Daraa. This battle, that broke out in Daraa city since the 3rd of June 2017, is considered the third violent battle witnessed by the City since the beginning of the last month and is also considered the most violent battle since the implementation of the cease-fire agreement in the “de-escalation zones” extending from the Syrian north, which includes Idlib Province, the northern countryside of Homs and Hama and Damascus Ghouta, to the Syrian south on the 6th of May. There was a battle on the 22nd of May and another on the 17th of the same month accompanied by tens of raids and rocket and artillery shelling from both sides. It is also worth mentioning that the rebel and Islamic factions and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham launched on the first half of February 2017 the battle of “Death over Humiliation” which aims at taking control of Daraa Al-Balad in Daraa city. These factions were able to make huge progress and take control of blocks of buildings and sites of the regime forces. Dozens of fighters from both sides lost their lives during these clashes and the shelling that accompanied them.