Local factions seize government’s strategic strongholds in Syria’s Daraa
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – The recently formed “Southern Operations Room,” composed of local factions including Eighth Brigade and the Central Committee, in Daraa in southern Syria, announced on Saturday the capture of a strategic location in the governorate.
The factions said they captured the strategic hill of the town of al-Harra in the north of Daraa following the withdrawal of Syrian government forces from the area.
A source within one of the factions informed North Press that the government forces had vacated al-Harra’s hill, leaving weapons and ammunition behind.
The factions swiftly took control over the hill and seized the abandoned supplies.
In a parallel advance, the factions took control of the hill of al-Mahs in Daraa northern countryside. The operation resulted in the capture of two tanks, various medium weapons, and additional ammunition.
The “Southern Operations Room” imposed a curfew on the city of Daraa until stability is fully restored, according to sources within the Room.
The factions have also taken full control of the Jaber/Nassib border crossing with Jordan and all associated border posts, further consolidating their territorial gains.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Ministry of Defense said that the government forces had “conducted a strategic redeployment, repositioning, and establishment of a defensive and security perimeter.”
It claimed the withdrawal was necessitated by “terrorist elements attacking dispersed army checkpoints to distract our armed forces,” which are engaged in operations to reclaim areas in Homs and Hama from terrorist groups.