Killings continue amid negotiations with government in Syria’s Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – On Friday, the town of Tafas in the western countryside of Daraa, southern Syria, was calm after two days of clashes between government forces and local assailants due to negotiations, which are still ongoing, amid ongoing killing cases and security chaos in different areas in Daraa.
Local sources in Tafas told North Press the clashes stopped after a round of negotiations between residents of the town and the government forces over the latter’s entry to the town.
The sources added that the two parties agreed to stop fighting until a final agreement is reached, and a second round of negotiations between the two is expected on Friday.
Meanwhile, Daraa is still witnessing a state of security chaos in different areas, recording nine killing cases, including a woman and government soldiers, in one week.
A local source told North Press today that Sayed Mansour al-Mekdad succumbed to his injuries he sustained after being shot at on July 3 by unknown assailants in the village of Ghasam in the eastern countryside of Daraa.
The source added that al-Mekdad was transported to the National Hospital in Daraa before being transferred to Damascus hospitals where he lost life.
Al-Mekdad was a leader for a group affiliated with the Eighth Brigade of the government Military Intelligence.
In 2018, the Eighth Brigade, which is backed by Russia, was established out of the remnants of the Shabab al-Sunna faction headed by Ahmad al-Awda of the Syrian opposition during its control of southern Syria.
The young men Muhammad Ibrahim al-Jondi and Anas al-Qasm were shot dead on Thursday midnight by the government forces in the city of al-Sanamayn in the northern countryside of Daraa.
Local sources told North Press that the targeted young men, who were former members of the Syrian opposition, had not joined any military party after they had their conditions settled in the summer of 2018.
On July 4, Fahed al-Sbaihi was killed in clashes between an armed local group and the government forces after the latter advanced towards some farms in the village of Ataman in Daraa countryside.
On the same day, a local source told North Press that Firas Azi al-Ruwais was killed in clashes between local gunmen and government forces, which sparked after the latter advanced towards farms in Tafas.
On July 3, a local source told North Press that “government soldiers Muhayeb Sobhi Salmoon and Bashar Suleiman were killed, and three others were wounded after a military armored vehicle belonging to the government State Security branch was targeted with an explosive device on the road between the towns of al-Harra and Zamreen in northern Daraa.”
The source added that all the wounded were transported to the military hospital in al-Sanamayn, where two of them died while three others were still receiving treatment.
The source pointed out that Salmoon, who hails from Homs Governorate, had worked within the ranks of the State Security branch in Daraa Governorate. North Press could not obtain further information.
On July 3, Wafa’ al-Samara was killed after being targeted by gunmen in the town of Mhajjah in northern Daraa, and the reasons behind the attack were still unknown.
On July 1, a local source told North Press that “Ammar Mahmoud al-Ammarin was killed as a result of being targeted by unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle in the city of Nawa in the western countryside of Daraa.”
The source noted that al-Ammarin’s wife was also injured in the attack and was also transported to the same hospital. Her condition was described as stable.
According to the source, al-Ammarin was a civilian who had not joined to any military formation, neither in Syrian government forces nor in opposition factions.
In July 2018, the opposition armed factions and Syrian the government forces reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by Russia in the opposition-held areas in Daraa. Under the deal, the opposition armed factions agreed to hand over their weapons in exchange for staying in Daraa, and those who opposed the agreement they were sent to Idlib, which is under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front).