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Daraa Central Committee announce collapse of talks with Syria regime

August 30, 2021 at 11:11 am

Syrian government soldiers in Daraa, Syria on 7 July 2018 [YOUSSEF KARWASHAN/AFP/Getty Images

The Central Committee in Daraa, southwestern Syria, on Sunday announced the failure of talks with the Syrian regime’s security committee, citing the latter’s intransigence, local media outlets reported.

The committee, composed of former rebels and local civilian opposition, said that the talks collapsed due to the regime’s: “Intransigence, lack of response to Russian proposals, continued imposition of harsh conditions and failure to respect the ceasefire.”

A leader in Daraa confirmed that the Syrian regime’s Fourth Division had repeatedly bombed the Daraa Al-Balad neighbourhood, attempting to storm it from more than one axis.

“The Syrian regime has been imposing a siege on Daraa Al-Balad for 70 days, during which the regime forces did not stop bombing,” he added.

On 29 July, the Assad forces and Iranian-backed militia launched a ground operation in the Daraa Al- Balad neighbourhood, triggering clashes that spread across the countryside.

Syria: opposition forces leave Daraa under truce with Russia and regime

Daraa Al-Balad was blockaded by regime forces on 25 June, after residents, including former members of the Syrian opposition, resisted an order to surrender their light weapons and allow regime forces to search houses in the area.

On Saturday, the Syrian regime’s security committee proposed that the Russian military police, along with members of the Military Intelligence Directorate, enter the besieged neighbourhoods in the city to allow rebels to surrender their weapons.

Amnesty International called on the Syrian regime on Friday to immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter the opposition-controlled area in southern Daraa, besieged by the regime forces.

The United Nations has warned of food shortages in opposition-held Daraa Al-Balad, which is surrounded by regime fighters seeking to regain control of the area.