The city of Tafs, in the western countryside of Daraa, witnessed shelling with heavy and medium weapons by Assad’s forces and the militias supporting them. They have been stationed in the vicinity of the city for days.
Local observatories said that since Wednesday morning, Assad’s forces have tried to storm Tafs from the southern side of the farms under cover of intense shelling, where they clashed with local fighters. No casualties were reported.
The escalation led to the displacement of several residents inside the city towards other neighbourhoods far from the southern side. The movement of displacement outside Tafs faces several risks due to the siege imposed on it.
In addition, movement in the city’s markets has stopped due to the closure of shops amid an almost complete halt to life.
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Daraa 24 reported that Assad’s forces had made advances on the southern axis of the city. They took control of the construction of excavators located southwest of the upper Yarmouk project on the Yadoudeh-Tafs road.
According to the Ahrar Houran Gathering, local fighters managed to damage a T55 tank and a military bulldozer of Assad’s forces, during clashes on the southern axis of the city.
It pointed out that the militias of the 313th Brigade, backed by Iran, are supporting Assad’s forces in the storming operation, where they used Shilka vehicles, tank shells, and mortars.
Since July 27, Assad’s forces have brought military reinforcements into the vicinity of Tafs, besieging its neighborhoods and demanding the extradition of wanted persons.
Tafs is administratively subordinate to the district of Muzayrib, 13 kilometres from the center of Daraa governorate.
The negotiating committee in the city of Tafs confirmed that the people wanted by the regime have left the city, since Monday. This is based on the demands of the Assad regime, which demanded the exit of the wanted in exchange for de-escalation in the city.
However, local networks confirmed that the siege imposed on the city continues despite the exit of wanted persons. Assad’s forces and military reinforcements are stationed in the vicinity of the city so far, including armored vehicles and tanks, amid the escalation of shelling.
Activists on social media launched the hashtags “Tafs under bombardment” and “Tafs resists”, demanding to shed light on what is happening in the city, which is absent from media coverage due to the siege of Assad’s forces and militias supporting him.
This article was translated and 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.
