BEIRUT — Fighting between government forces and former rebels in the
Syrian province of Daraa has displaced more than 38,000 people over the past
month, the United Nations said Tuesday, as truce talks falter.
اضافة اعلان
Daraa, retaken by government forces in 2018, has emerged as a new flashpoint
in recent weeks as government forces tightened control over Daraa Al-Balad, a
southern district of the provincial capital that is considered a hub for former
rebel fighters.
Clashes, including artillery exchanges, between the two sides since late
July have marked the biggest challenge yet to the Russian-brokered deal that
returned the southern province to government control but allowed rebels to stay
on in some areas.
Russian-sponsored truce talks launched in the wake of the latest fighting
have made little headway as the government has stepped up its campaign to root
out remaining rebel fighters from Daraa Al-Balad.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that
38,600 internally displaced persons are registered in and around Daraa, with
most having fled from Daraa Al-Balad.
"This includes almost 15,000 women, over 3,200 men and elderly and over
20,400 children," OCHA said.
It warned of a critical situation in the volatile district, saying that
access to goods and services, including food and power, is "extremely
challenging."
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that government
forces are restricting the entry of goods into Daraa Al-Balad, where it says
40,000 people still live.
"They are living under siege with families facing shortages of food,
medical services, potable water, power and internet," said the monitor,
which relies on a network of sources inside
Syria.
The Observatory said that many in Daraa Al-Balad reject the truce terms
being set by the government and its Russian ally.
The pro-government Al-Watan newspaper and the official SANA news agency have
accused rebel groups of thwarting ceasefire efforts.
The exact terms of the proposed truce remain unclear.
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