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Syrian police wield a Syrian flag. The rebels have abandoned the city of Daraa in the south of the country. Photo: New Syrian Arab Agency / Archives
Source: dpa-infocom GmbH
In the spring of 2011, Daraa students sprayed anti-government graffiti on the walls – it was the beginning of the uprising against the Assad leader. It's regaining control more and more.
D amaskus (dpa) – More than seven years after the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the government has achieved another great achievement with a great symbolic impact. The rebels have abandoned the city of Daraa in the south of the country, which is considered the cradle of the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad
The sovereign's supporters lifted the Syrian flag on the Daraas party on Thursday, which was still in the hands of the insurgents. As reported the state agency Sana.
Rebel spokesman Ibrahim Jabawi confirmed that opponents of the government had already reached an agreement with Russia, Syria's ally. According to the rebels in Daraa their heavy weapons. They had recently controlled part of the city, but were seized by government forces.
According to Sana, units of the Syrian army entered the rebel territory of Daraa to raise the Syrian flag. According to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, they took pictures before leaving. Activists said that there were still insurgents in the city. Rebel spokesman Jabawi said the negotiated agreement did not provide for the intervention of government forces.
The intelligence service arrested and tortured a group of students in Daraa in the spring of 2011 who spread anti-government graffiti on the walls. After the arrests, there were demonstrations in the city against which the government used force. In the meantime, more than 400,000 people were killed in the civil war.
The Syrian Army now controls over 80% of Daraa Province, according to pro-government media and the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. Opponents of the government remain in the region a strip on the border with the territories occupied by Israel Golan Heights. An area is also dominated by a branch of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia, which was able to take control of another place on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of people in the region are fleeing battles and government forces. The humanitarian organization Oxfam warned that thousands of people had been cut off from humanitarian aid. During the hot summer months, they urgently needed shelter, water, food and medical care.
About a year ago, Russia, the United States and neighboring Jordan agreed on a Daraa de-escalation zone. Government forces launched an offensive in June, supported by the Moscow Air Force. Most of the province was taken over by Assad supporters for agreements with rebels negotiated under Russian mediation. With Daraa, Syrian rebels lose one of the last territories under their control. Its remaining bastions are located in the north-west of the country.
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