Syrian army and Iranian-backed militias "have increased the intensity of attacks in Daraa"
A number of "Free Syrian Army" commanders say that Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias are regrouping around Daraa, amid increased airstrikes, and are "probably" preparing to launch a large-scale operation to completely capture it.
A spokesman for the group known as the "Southern Front" says that the Fourth Division of the Syrian government forces, along with Lebanese Hezbollah militias, have taken positions around Daraa, and may be preparing to carry out a large-scale operation to completely seize this region bordering Jordan.
In recent days, news agencies have reported an increase in airstrikes, barrel bombings and the firing of so-called "elephant" missiles - improvised explosive devices launched using rockets - into parts of Daraa. Images published by AFP on June 11 show explosions in rebel-held areas of the city.
Reuters reports that air and missile attacks have increased, particularly in the southern areas of the city, which are strategically important and close to the Jordanian border.
Daraa is where the initial, largely peaceful protests against the government of Bashar al-Assad began six years ago. These protests were met with widespread repression by government forces, which led Syria to civil war, a war that is one of the reasons for the formation and activity of groups such as the "Islamic State" in this country and other regions of the world.
A spokesman for the "Southern Front" affiliated with the "Free Syrian Army" told Reuters that experienced forces from the Syrian army's "Fourth Division" have arrived in the region, along with a number of Lebanese Hezbollah militias and other Iranian-backed militias.
It seems that the Syrian army has begun to regroup, and a number of rebels have interpreted these events as a sign that government forces are preparing for a large-scale attack on areas under their control.
Reuters quoted Adham al-Karad, a commander of the Free Syrian Army, as saying that the group’s “intelligence observations” showed that “army forces with heavy weapons have been dispatched to the area.” He added that “if the situation continues like this, we will see a very large-scale reinforcement [of government forces].”
The Syrian army or government have not responded to these reports, including airstrikes and increased military forces.
Daraa has reportedly been a major focus of recent talks between US and Russian envoys. US and Russian envoys have reportedly met recently to discuss the creation of a “de-escalation zone” in Syria. The talks, which are still in their preliminary stages, are said to focus on defining the boundaries of a safe zone in Daraa province. The US has called for the de-escalation zones to be established without the presence of Iran.
Source: Radio Farda
