Local sources told Al-Jazeera that 15 civilians were killed and others were wounded in artillery and missile shelling by the Syrian regime forces on the cities of Daraa and Jassim and the town of Al-Yadouda (south of the country).
The sources indicated that the regime forces bombed a house in the town of Al-Yadouda, killing 6 people, including 3 children from one family.
The sources added that 50,000 people are trapped in the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad, Al-Sad Road and Daraa camp in the city center, and they are exposed to shelling.
This unprecedented escalation began in 2018, after the regime attempted to storm Daraa al-Balad after the opposition refused to give Damascus full control over it.
Al-Jazeera correspondent stated that among the dead were at least 3 civilians, and a number of wounded, in the intensive bombing of the regime forces on the neighborhoods of Daraa al-Balad.
This came during an attempt by the regime forces to storm the area from 3 axes, and fighters from the residents confronted it.
Al-Jazeera Net correspondent in Syria said that the regime forces launched - since Thursday morning - an attack on the neighborhoods of Daraa Al-Balad and two related neighborhoods, namely the Al-Sad Road and the Al-Mukamat neighborhood.
Three days ago, the Daraa Al-Balad Reconciliation Committee and the regime forces reached an agreement to partially withdraw the light weapons remaining in the hands of the opposition, and a partial presence of the regime forces.
Notables refuse
And last Tuesday, the notables of Daraa al-Balad refused - in a statement - the regime forces to enter the area, and demanded the exit of opposition elements from it if the regime insisted on their entry, which the regime rejected, and then launched an attack this morning.
The military campaign on Daraa al-Balad led to fighters from the people of Daraa attacking a number of regime forces’ checkpoints in the western and eastern countryside of the governorate. The fighters took control of a number of them, and were able to kill and capture a number of regime forces’ members, and to seize ammunition and medium and light weapons.
The regime forces resorted to expanding their bombardment to include populated areas in several cities and towns, including the city of Tafas and the towns of al-Yadouda and al-Muzayrib. Local sources told Al-Jazeera that the regime's bombing killed 6 people, including 3 children and a woman.
These developments come after the people of Daraa al-Balad boycotted the presidential elections, which were held at the end of last May, and the demonstrations that rejected them, which prompted the regime forces to besiege the area and try to subjugate it by force and impose the erection of military and security barriers in contravention of the settlement agreement concluded 3 years ago between the opposition. Syria and Russia.
It is noteworthy that the regime forces and militias loyal to them imposed - on 25 June last - a siege on Daraa al-Balad, which is inhabited by 40,000 people, after the opposition refused to hand over light weapons, as a violation of the agreement brokered by Russia in 2018, which stipulated the handing over of heavy weapons. And only average.