Syrian regime kills two in northwest as clashes continue in besieged Daraa

At least two civilians were killed and several others wounded on Tuesday as Assad regime and Russian forces bombed towns in northwestern Syria, while rebels killed and wounded several regime troops who tried to enter the besieged southern Syrian city of Daraa.

Local sources told The New Arab’s Arabic-language service that regime forces intensified their missile and rocket fire on the Jabal Al-Zawiya area in southern Idlib province on Tuesday morning, killing one civilian and wounding several others in the village of Maarzaf.

Regime forces also bombed rebel-held western Aleppo province, killing a girl and wounding several other people, including another child.

Russian warplanes had also carried out airstrikes near the village of Sheikh Bahr in northwestern Idlib province, an area where many internally displaced people were living, but sources had no information yet on casualties.

The regime and Russia have carried out increasing strikes on rebel-held northwestern Syria recently, in violation of a March 2020 ceasefire deal. This truce was guaranteed by Russia itself and the regime's other main ally Iran, as well as Turkey, which has backed Syrian rebels.

Rebels attack regime in Daraa

In the southern province of Daraa, regime forces from the notorious Fourth Division attempted to enter Daraa city, which has been subjected to a regime siege for over a month, media activist Mohammed Al-Hourani told The New Arab's Arabic-language service.

He said that a number of the attacking regime troops had been killed and injured by regime forces, without giving exact figures.

Al-Hourani added that rebels had charged regime positions in various areas of Daraa province in response to the ongoing regime siege of the city of Daraa. A checkpoint near Sheikh Miskin was targeted, leaving regime soldiers injured. Rebels also launched RPG rockets at the regime's "security square" in the city of Nawa.

Regime bombardment of Daraa city was ongoing as of Tuesday morning.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on Monday that at least 11 civilians, including five children, had been killed by the regime ever since it began its siege of the city on 23 June.

People living in the city are currently running out of essential goods such as flour, water, and diesel fuel.

On Monday, activists reported that the regime had stopped all deliveries of flour to Daraa city.

Negotiations took place last week between representatives of the besieged residents and regime forces but have not ended the fighting.

Daraa province was captured by the regime from rebels in 2018 but has remained restive since then, with frequent incidents between the regime and former rebels who still operate in the area.

The siege of Daraa city by regime forces was sparked by a refusal of residents to participate in this year’s presidential elections, which were dismissed as a sham by the Syrian opposition and the international community and resulted in Bashar al-Assad being re-elected for a fourth term with an improbable 95.1 percent of the vote.