Clashes erupt in Syria’s Deraa as regime forces open fire on protesters

By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz and Mehmet Burak Karacaoglu

DERAA, Syria (AA) – Regime forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad opened fire Saturday on demonstrators in Syria's southern province of Deraa who were supporting the advance of anti-regime armed groups.

Local sources reported that dozens of people gathered in the Inkhil area of Deraa to back the progress of anti-regime forces.

The regime forces responded by firing live ammunition to disperse the crowd.

Clashes broke out on Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups in the western countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria.

Over Nov. 27–28, anti-regime groups made significant gains, rapidly advancing from the western Aleppo countryside toward the city center.

By the second day of fighting, they had captured several areas in Idlib's countryside.

On Nov. 29, the armed groups entered Aleppo's city center and have since seized control of large parts of the area.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul