Hizballah 'leads regime offensive in southern Syria'
Hizballah 'leads regime offensive in southern Syria'
Free Syrian Army and Nusra Front fighters pushed from town of Deir al-Adas and surrounding areas, as rebels claim Iranian-backed Lebanese group wants to set up permanent base.
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Hizballah has supported Syrian troops in several key battles [Anadolu/Getty]
Hizballah fighters backed by Syrian and Iranian forces have pushed the Nusra Front and from the town of Deir al-Adas, reports say, in a major offensive in the Daraa governorate.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Deir al-Adas was taken on Tuesday after two days of fierce fighting between regime elements and rebels including members of Nusra, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and fighters from the Free Syrian Army.
The offensive is part of the operation launched on Sunday to seize areas at the intersection point of the three Syrian governorates of Rif Dimashq, Daraa, and Quneitra near the disputed Golan Heights.
The observatory group said 20 opposition fighters were killed in the fighting, including a Hizballah ambush near Deir al-Adas. The group's director, Rami Abdulrahman, told the AFP news agency that Hizballah was leading the attack on Deir al-Adas and its surrounding hills. Al-Araby al-Jadeed cannot independently verify the reports.
'Restoring security'
The official Syrian news agency Sana quoted a military source on Wednesday as saying the army was able to "restore security" to Sanei, Tal al-Hawa and Tal-Arous in the southwestern countryside of Damascus, Tal Meri west of Damascus, and al-Danaji and Tal Antar near Deir al-Adas.
The opposition Local Coordination Committee of Deir al-Adas said heavy shelling had forced the Free Syrian Army from the town, which was now "in range of their firepower".
Ayman al-Aasmi, a member of the FSA southern front command, claimed that Hizballah was trying to set up a permanent base in north Daraa to link its positions in southern Lebanon through the hills of Mount Hermon.
"The issue is not just about retaking some towns and hills," he said. "Hizballah pushed large forces into the battle, mostly made up of Lebanese and Iraqi militias in light of the regime forces' collapse in the Daraa governorate as a result of losses in battles with opposition forces, defections, or redeployment into the hot spots in other governorates."
This article is an edited translation of the original Arabic.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Deir al-Adas was taken on Tuesday after two days of fierce fighting between regime elements and rebels including members of Nusra, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and fighters from the Free Syrian Army.
The offensive is part of the operation launched on Sunday to seize areas at the intersection point of the three Syrian governorates of Rif Dimashq, Daraa, and Quneitra near the disputed Golan Heights.
The observatory group said 20 opposition fighters were killed in the fighting, including a Hizballah ambush near Deir al-Adas. The group's director, Rami Abdulrahman, told the AFP news agency that Hizballah was leading the attack on Deir al-Adas and its surrounding hills. Al-Araby al-Jadeed cannot independently verify the reports.
'Restoring security'
The official Syrian news agency Sana quoted a military source on Wednesday as saying the army was able to "restore security" to Sanei, Tal al-Hawa and Tal-Arous in the southwestern countryside of Damascus, Tal Meri west of Damascus, and al-Danaji and Tal Antar near Deir al-Adas.
The opposition Local Coordination Committee of Deir al-Adas said heavy shelling had forced the Free Syrian Army from the town, which was now "in range of their firepower".
Ayman al-Aasmi, a member of the FSA southern front command, claimed that Hizballah was trying to set up a permanent base in north Daraa to link its positions in southern Lebanon through the hills of Mount Hermon.
"The issue is not just about retaking some towns and hills," he said. "Hizballah pushed large forces into the battle, mostly made up of Lebanese and Iraqi militias in light of the regime forces' collapse in the Daraa governorate as a result of losses in battles with opposition forces, defections, or redeployment into the hot spots in other governorates."
This article is an edited translation of the original Arabic.
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