The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

After about a year of their absence…Russian warplanes carry out more than 26 raids targeting Daraa countryside and the death of more persons raises the death toll to about 50 casualties

The countryside of Daraa has been witnessing escalated bombardment, as the warplanes started to intensify their strikes, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored Russian warplanes carrying out 21 raids at least, which targeted areas in Bosr Al-Harir town, in conjunction with 5 raids at least which targeted areas in al-Hrak town and the villages of Ieb and Asim as well as Msikah town in Al-Lajat area in both eastern and north-eastern sectors of Daraa countryside, and the heavy raids were accompanied by artillery shelling by the regime forces on the towns of Al-Karak Al-Sharqi, Maliha Al-Atash, the Western Al-Gharya, Nahta, Bosr al-Harir and Al-Naimah in the eastern countryside of Daraa, and Kafr Shams and Al-Harra in the north-western countryside of Daraa, amid targeting to areas in Al-Yadudah town, in the north-west of Daraa city, also the regime forces targeted areas in the towns of Mashara and Nab’ al-Sakhr in the middle sector of Quneitra countryside, which caused material damage, without information about casualties.

And these Russian raids on Daraa province, are the first raids to be carried out by Russian warplanes on the province about a year ago, since the start of implementing the Syrian South agreement, that was reached between the US, Russia and Jordan, on the 9th of July 2017, while the shelling resulted in the death of a person raising to 20 citizens at least including a woman and her son, in addition to 3 women and 2 children, the number of citizens who were killed in the artillery and rocket shelling by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them on several villages and towns in Daraa countryside, and the Syrian Observatory has documented the death of 5 citizens including 3 children, the number of people who were killed as a result of the fall of shells on areas in Al-Matar neighborhood in Daraa city and other places in al-Sanamin city, raising to 49, the number of casualties of the civilians, faction fighters, and members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, where the SOHR documented the death of 13 members at least of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, while it rose to at least 11, the number of fighters of the rebel and Islamic factions who were killed since the start of clashes and the ongoing escalation of shelling for the 5th consecutive day.

The SOHR also published that the intensive shelling resulted in increasing the number of people who have been displaced from the areas which have been subjected to shelling as well as the areas near the battle fronts, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored within 5 days of stepping up military operations, the displacement of about 14000 people from the villages and towns of Nahte, Bosr al-Harir, Eastern Mleha, Western Mleha, al-Hrak, Msikah, Asim, al-Shomarah, al-Shayyah, and al-Bostan in the eastern countryside of Daraa, amid fears of the increase of displacement due to the military operations east of the province, after the failure of the international parties in finding a solution to the situation of the Syrian south, with the continued stubbornness of the Iranian forces, their allies,  and the gunmen supported by them; in withdrawing from the area according to the regional and international conditions imposed to achieve the solution in the Syrian south.