Clashes intensify in Syria's southern province of Daraa

By Ethem Emre Ozcan, Omer Koparan, Ahmet Karaahmet, Mehmet Burak Karacaoglu and Esref Musa

DARAA (AA) - Clashes are taking place in the Noa district of Daraa province in southern Syria between Assad regime forces and opposition groups.

According to local sources, opposition groups attacked regime checkpoints around the town center in the western countryside of Daraa in the morning.

As clashes continued, the Syrian regime targeted Noa’s district center with mortar shells.

The regime army also conducted artillery bombardment on Jabiliyya village in the western countryside.

Opposition groups captured regime security checkpoints in Jiza, Semlin and Gariyye Sarkiyye areas in the western, eastern and northern countryside of Daraa.

- Joint operation room against the regime

Meanwhile, in Daraa, soldiers from the regime-established 8th Division formed a joint operations room with the opposition in Suwayda and Quneitra provinces, and agreed to act against the regime.

- Province that sparked the popular uprising

Daraa was under opposition's control between 2012 and 2018.

Iranian-backed terrorist groups and the Assad regime, which regained strength with Russia's military intervention, launched a ground offensive in the region in June 2018. The next month, regime forces declared they captured the entire province.

It was in Daraa where a crackdown by regime forces in 2011 ignited protests, leading to more than a decade of war and destruction.

- Surprise offensive

Clashes between Syrian regime forces and anti-regime groups first erupted on Nov. 27 in the western countryside of Aleppo.

By Nov. 30, the opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across Idlib province.

On Dec. 1, the Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the PKK/YPG terror group in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terrorist elements.

On Dec. 5, anti-regime forces captured the city of Hama and are advancing towards Homs.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan​​​​​​​