Two people were killed while another was injured on Wednesday in two separate assassinations in Daraa city, south Syria. This comes less than 24 hours after local gunmen, supported by the Syrian government and Russia, declared the end of a military campaign against militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) in a neighbourhood in Daraa city.
A local source told North Press, “Ahmed al-Hammadi, nicknamed al-Kaaki, and Omar al-Musalma were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in two separate assassinations in Daraa city.”
The source added that “Kheiro al-Hammadi was accompanying al-Musalma. He was seriously injured and taken to a hospital as a result.”
The source continued, “All three of them were serving in the ranks of the Syrian opposition armed factions and engaged in the 2018 settlement agreement. After that, they did not join any military formation.”
In July 2018, the Syrian opposition armed factions and Syrian government forces reached a settlement agreement mediated by Russia in the opposition-held areas in Daraa Governorate. Under the deal, the opposition militants who agreed to hand over their heavy weapons were handed settlement cards and allowed to stay in Daraa, while those opposed the agreement would go to Idlib, which is under the control of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front).
Fierce battles in Daraa al-Balad Between ISIS and Local Factions
On Tuesday, the government-backed local gunmen took full control of Tariq al-Sadd neighbourhood after a two-week military campaign against ISIS militants. The clashes killed 40 men from both sides.
Other local sources told North Press that the local gunmen lifted the curfew that had been imposed on Tariq al-Sadd and al-Mukhayyam neighbourhoods after taking control of the bunkers in which ISIS cells were holed up.
Since this morning, students have returned to schools, shops have opened again, and public transportation has come back to work, the sources said.
The sources also said that the fate of many ISIS leaders, including Muhammad al-Musalma and Mo’ayed Harfoush, is still unknown, suggesting that the militants fled towards areas in Daraa’s countryside.
As everything returned to normal in Daraa city, the town of Jasim in the northern countryside witnessed a state of tension.
A local source from the town told North Press, “Relative calm prevails in Jasim after local armed men blocked many roads preventing the government forces from passing and demanding them to release their detainees.”
The source added that officers from the government forces asked yesterday the town’s community leaders to sit with them and negotiate a deal.
The source continued, “The government’s officers repeated their calls to meet with the town’s dignitaries, some of them are former leaders of the Syrian opposition. The officers’ demands were met but only after they pledged to implement the residents’ demands.”
The source noted that the local armed men sent a delegate to represent the town’s residents in the meeting, which would be held with government officers in Daraa city.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
