Shells target Al-Quneitra countryside in a new violation of the Russian-Jordanian-American truce in the Southern Syria

Al-Quneitra Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: several shells fell after midnight on areas in the regime-controlled Al-Baath city in Al-Quneitra countryside. In response, the regime forces opened fire with their heavy machine-guns on areas in the vicinity of the city. The regime forces also shelled after midnight areas in Al-Tlul Al-Homr, east of Hodr. No casualties were reported. This marks a new violation of the Southern Syria truce, which was implemented by virtue of an agreement brokered by Russia, US and Jordan in the Provinces of Al-Suwaidaa, Daraa and Al-Quneitra on the 9th of July 2017. The agreement provides for the deployment of Russian military police forces to the cease-fire zones in the three provinces included in the agreement to monitor the ceasefire and the truce implementation; the withdrawal of the regime forces and their allied militiamen and the rebel and Islamic factions from contact lines in all areas; the deployment of the regime s internal security forces in these lines whereas the rebel and Islamic factions participating in the agreement will be assigned the task of protecting all public and private establishments. In addition, it also stipulates the departure of all those unwilling to participate in the agreement, the full withdrawal of the regime s allied militiamen – of non-Syrian nationalities, preparation of the infrastructure necessary for the return of refugees from Jordan successively, holding municipal elections and granting municipalities broad powers, and finally the delivery of humanitarian aid to the areas that abide by the ceasefire.  The SOHR published on the 17th of June 2017 that a Russian-American-Jordanian truce was put into effect in Daraa Province and was extended till the 20th of June but came to an end as a result of the renewed aerial and artillery shelling by the regime forces and their allied militiamen, helicopters and warplanes.