Three years after
Syria's government retook control of the flashpoint
southern province of
Daraa, regime forces have clashed with rebels again,
trapping thousands of civilians in the crossfire.
اضافة اعلان
Nearly half of the population of the rebel-held Daraa al-Balad district have
fled heavy shelling and ground battles, but the United Nations warns that
remaining civilians are cut off with dwindling supplies.
On Thursday, the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said civilians
were suffering from "acute shortages" of food, fuel, water and
medicines in a "near siege-like" situation.
"The situation is alarming," Pedersen said.
Here is what you need to know about the conflict.
Why is Daraa
important?
Daraa, which borders Jordan and is close to the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights, is widely seen as the cradle of the 2011 uprising in Syria, which
sparked a decade-long civil war that has killed almost half a million people.
In 2011, young boys who had scrawled graffiti against President Bashar
al-Assad were detained in Daraa, sparking nationwide protests.
After the demonstrations evolved into war, rebels seized control.
The rebels hung on until 2018. But after weeks of deadly fighting, the
Russia-backed regime retook control under a surrender deal.
Moscow had brokered similar so-called "reconciliation" accords in
Syria's second city of Aleppo, as well the Eastern Ghouta region, outside the
capital Damascus.
Under those deals, rebels handed over their heavy weapons and left on buses.
But in Daraa, many former opposition fighters stayed behind.
While some did switch sides and join regime forces, others kept their guns
and maintained control over several areas.
In the provincial capital, Daraa city, regime forces returned to the
northern half, known as Daraa al-Mahatta.
But the southern half, Daraa al-Balad, remained under rebel control.
What sparked the
fighting now?
Since the 2018 "reconciliation" deal, Daraa province has seen
regular explosions and hit-and-run attacks.
During presidential elections in May -- a vote widely criticised by Syria's
opposition -- protesters in Daraa al-Balad took to the streets demanding
the "fall of the regime".
The election was held only in the two-thirds of Syria under government
control, and there were no ballot boxes in Daraa al-Balad.
After Assad celebrated winning his fourth term in power, he vowed to return
all of Syria to state control.
Residents and activists believe the government wants "revenge".
"Many people in Daraa al-Balad are wanted by the regime,"
said activist Omar al-Hariri.
Which forces are
involved?
In late July, some of the fiercest clashes to rock the province since regime
forces returned left 32 dead, including 12 civilians, the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights said.
The government seized farmland outside Daraa al-Balad, before the fighting
largely subsided, and Russian-mediated talks began.
But Hariri said pro-Damascus forces had continued to shell the area "to
exhaust fighters who only have light weapons".
Mohammad al-Abdallah, director of the Syria Justice and Accountability
Centre, said Iran was pushing Damascus to bolster its forces there.
Daraa is close to the Golan Heights, occupied by Tehran's arch-foe Israel.
Pro-Iran fighters are deployed in parts of the province.
Russia meanwhile has sought to boost its influence by backing the Syrian army's
Fifth Corps, which has absorbed many ex-rebels.
"Competition between the Iranians and the Russians over areas of
influence in Syria" was also at play, Abdallah added.
Hariri said residents in Daraa al-Balad now face a bleak choice.
"We have two options," he said. "Let the Fifth Corps deploy
with Russia pulling the strings, or face a sudden onslaught from regime
forces."
What is the
impact on civilians?
The UN's envoy Geir Pedersen warned Thursday of his "growing
concern" at the situation, calling for an end to the fighting and
unimpeded humanitarian access.
Around 24,000 of Daraa al-Balad's 55,000 residents have fled to surrounding
areas or regime-controlled parts of the city, the UN humanitarian agency says.
"Civilians are suffering with acute shortages of fuel, cooking gas,
water, and bread," Pedersen said. "Medical assistance is in short
supply to treat the injured".
Regime forces encircle the district, with entry limited to a single road
with checkpoints.
Abu Al-Tayb, a media activist in Daraa al-Balad, said people were "at
the mercy" of regime forces.
"Sometimes only women and children are allowed to take the road, and
sometimes they close it off completely," he said.
He said flour had run out, the regime had cut off the water supply to the
main storage tank, and there were regular power cuts.
"We're making do with very little," he said.
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