Syrian regime forces have continued to bomb areas of the city of Daraa despite a Russian-brokered temporary ceasefire deal, as negotiations over a permanent ceasefire continue. Syrian regime forces continued to violate a newly signed ceasefire agreement in the southern city of Daraa in the early hours of Monday morning, shelling several areas of the city as well as the towns of Yadouda and Tafas in Daraa province. The “Free People of Houran” media activist group reported that rebels in the Daraa Al-Balad area of Daraa clashed with troops from the regime’s Fourth Division, which is led by President Bashar Al-Assad’s brother, Maher. On Saturday, a Russian-brokered temporary ceasefire agreement to halt the fighting in Daraa was reached but it was violated almost immediately by regime forces and allied pro-Iranian militias. Adnan Al-Musalama, a negotiator representing residents of Daraa, told The New Arab’s Arabic-language service on Saturday that Iranian-backed militias had objected to the Russian-brokered agreement. The fighting between regime forces and rebels in Daraa began in June after residents of the city refused to participate in the Syrian regime’s presidential elections, which were widely dismissed as a sham by the international community. Regime forces have subjected the residents of Daraa Al-Balad to a siege, cutting off supplies of water, fuel, and flour. The Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement would allow rebels to “regularize their status” and remain in Daraa under regime authority. Those who refuse will be evicted to rebel-held northwestern Syria. Al-Musalama said that a point had been set up at a local school for rebels to hand over their weapons under the ceasefire agreement and that coaches were being prepared to evict anyone who wanted to leave the city.
