Syria’s Daraa asks Russia to stop bombardment
DARAA, Syria (North Press) – In a statement issued on Monday-Tuesday night, residents of the neighborhood of Daraa al-Balad and the surrounding besieged neighborhoods asked Russia to interfere to stop the bombardment carried out by the Fourth Division, Iranian factions, and other military forces on the region.
On Monday, a delegation of the Russian Military Police, which included a number of officers, met with the Central Committee in Daraa (a committee which consists of anti-government activists, lawyers, sheikhs, and former opposition leaders) and the notables of Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods, according to local sources.
At the two-hour-long meeting, the Central Committee and the notables explained the current situation in the neighborhoods besieged by government forces and pro-Iranian factions.
The statement called for the withdrawal of military forces from the vicinity of Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods and the entry of humanitarian and medical aid to the besieged areas.
The statement also called for the deployment of checkpoints of the Eighth Brigade affiliated with the Fifth Corps, provided that these steps are implemented under the supervision of the Russian Military Police.
“Russia brought a message from the Syrian government demanding a number of wanted surrender themselves and their light weapons, in addition to allowing the deployment of military checkpoints in Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods and the search of houses,” a member of the Central Committee told North Press.
The government forces “are still intransigent, while the Russian side promised to try to avoid engaging the region in a second war,” he added.
“The Iranian-backed Fourth Division, especially the Ghaith forces led by Colonel Ghiath Dala, are still pushing large reinforcements towards Daraa al-Balad and the border strip with Jordan,” he referred.
He described the possibility of the entry of the government forces and the security apparatus as “disastrous” if Russia allowed them to.