Syrian rebel forces have reportedly seized control of most of the Dara region, located south of the capital Damascus near the Israeli border, AFP reported on the 7th (local time).
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a civil war monitoring group, the rebels have taken control of over 90% of the Dara area.
In this regard, the Syrian government forces stated in a press release that "after terrorists attacked a military checkpoint, our units stationed in Dara and Sweida have been redeployed to this area to establish defensive lines."
The rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have recently captured the northern city of Aleppo, the second largest city, and the central stronghold city of Hama, and are advancing to seize Homs, the gateway to Damascus.
The rebels have begun encircling government forces in Damascus from the south and north.
On the same day, the Syrian government forces, together with Russian troops, reportedly launched rocket and artillery bombardments as well as airstrikes by fighter jets on rebel-concentrated areas in the Homs region, according to TASS news agency.
Amid escalating conflict in the Syrian civil war, the Israeli military announced that it has deployed additional troops to the Golan Heights area near the northern Syrian border.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
