Thousands flee Deraa as Syrian army advances to make strategic gains
Syrian regime forces have taken ground in eastern Deraa, with air strikes pounding the breadth of the rebel-held province, as pro-government forces advance on south Syria’s final pocket of opposition territory.
Regime sources claimed to have taken control of the strategically important villages of Busra Al Harir, Mlehat Al Atash and Nawah, while state media announced an assault on Deraa city itself yesterday.
Videos posted to social media showed heavy shelling and air strikes within Deraa city in the neighborhood of Deraa Al Balad, and other villages in western Deraa’s countryside.
Activists said the regime dropped napalm and barrel bombs on the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, said at least 32 civilians and 29 opposition fighters had been killed since the push began last week.
The Observatory said that Busra Al Harir represents the most significant advance of the offensive so far, because of its strategic importance. Its capture severed a north-eastern section of rebel-held territory from the rest of the opposition pocket. Regime-aligned social media accounts showed the regime had captured several tanks in the village.
The advances yesterday focused on eastern Deraa, giving the rebel-held western parts of the province that straddle the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights a wide berth.
The United Nations said at least 45,000 people had been forced to flee as a result of the fighting, many south towards the Jordanian and Israeli border. This week Jordan said it would not accept any more Syrian refugees.
Last year, the areas had been included in a de-escalation zone nominally excluding them from government operations, but Russia declared the zones null as the current push began. Last month, the US threatened “firm and appropriate measures” in response to any breach of the de-escalation agreement.
But any opposition hopes for American support were dashed on Sunday when a US communique told them not to expect support in the event of a government push.
The regime and Russia will be cautious about making ground offensives in western Deraa before they make an agreement with Israel, said Elizabeth Tsurkov, a research fellow at the Israeli Forum for Regional Thinking. “[The regime] launched the offensive without agreement from Israel, an agreement intended to allow the regime to recapture southern Syria without Israeli hindrance.”
Ms Tsurkov said that the regime’s advance in Deraa province had galvanised support for some opposition groups.
“A lot of civilians are mobilising to join the armed groups, but they are people who in most cases were not trained properly.
“While it’s better for the factions to have these individuals, they are not as effective as the rebels themselves.”