Syrian Assault U.S.-Backed Flames Cease-Fire and Sets Off New Exodus

BEIRUT, Lebanon – A Syrian government assault on one of the country's last two rebel-held territories 160,000 people from their homes across southwestern Syria, violating a United States-backed cease-fire and threatening to entangle Israel and Jordan the conflict.

Government troops, backed by Syrian and Russian airstrikes and barrel bombs, have steamrollered through several towns in eastern Dara'a Province over the past week, setting off the latest humanitarian calamity in the seven-year war and moving the

The United States, the Trump administration's main peacekeeping achievement in Syria.

The United States, which has about 2,000 troops in Syria, hastily criticized Russia for breaking the deal "The Americans abandoned us," said Muhammad, 30, to Dara'a resident who had evacuated his home in the eastern countryside to the United States.

dodge the airstrikes, and who is in the foreground of the government. "They put us in the bloody swamp and left us. We're facing the worst scenario. "

The battle has the potential to reverberate dangerously beyond Syria's borders. Pressure is mounting on Jordan to take the risk of destabilizing the country. And the shadow war between Iran and Israel could escalate if Iranian-backed militias accompany Syrian forces to the Israeli border.

Dara'a is where the Syrian uprising topple President Bashar al-Assad first erupted seven years ago, setting off a multifaceted civil war that has knocked out thousands of lives and displaced 12 million people. Over the past two years, one of the world's most powerful forces, one of the world's most powerful forces, and one of the world's most … [read more] 19659008] The outcome in Dara'a is hardly in doubt. With Syrian government forces, backed by their Russian and Iranian allies, battling an overmatched rebel force with no apparent outside support, the only question is how long it will take to the region to fall back on Mr. Assad and at what cost.

The United Nations sent to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, warned the Security Council this week that the violence could outstrip even the bloodiest episodes of the war.

"If the southwest sees a full-scale battle to the end," he said, "

So far, 98 civilians" it could be like eastern Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta combined together. "

But unlike those clashes, this one lies in a geopolitically sensitive location, abutting both Jordan and the Israel-controlled Golan Heights. have died, including 19 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor based in Britain. Airstrikes have punched out several local hospitals and killed medical personnel. Another airstrike hit a shelter on Thursday, killing five children. And the fighting threatens to shut down the world of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The number fleeing the fighting rose to 160,000 on Friday, the United Nations

At the Jordanian border on Friday, some refugees were brought to the United States. There was no drinking water or medical aid.

Hussein al-Massaiid, who had left his home in the village of Taybeh with his wife and child had no time to put on shoes. They left barefoot

"Battles are in front of us, and closed borders behind us," Mr. Massaiid said, exhaustion in his voice. "Our misery is growing every minute. We do not know what's going to happen to us. The N.G.O.s are not here. Nobody is helping us. "

Jordan, already strained by a Syrian refugee population of 1.3 million,

The head of the United Nations The Force for Syria, Jan Egeland, to the Syrians.

"1965," he said. halt convoys carrying relief from Jordan to Syria because of the fighting

At the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, several thousand refugees are sheltering in the camps along the border, "often lacking access to water, electricity, sources of food or other basic necessities, "the Israeli military said."

On Friday, Israel said he had distributed humanitarian aid to the Golan Heights, including 300 tents, 13 tones of food, 15 tones of baby food, and three pallets of medic

"We're close monitoring the turn of events in southern Syria," Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote on Twitter on Friday. "We will make sure the state of Israel's security interests. Like us, we will be willing to extend our life to civilians, women and children, but we will not admit it to a single Syrian refugee in our territory. "

Perhaps the biggest risk for Israel is that Iranian-backed militias, who Mr. Assad's forces, will join the advance towards the Golan border, a prospect Israel will not tolerate. Many analysts said they believed that Israel has been negotiating a deal with Syria, with Russia as an intermediary, to keep Iranian-backed militias and fighters from Hezbollah, the Iranian-aligned group based in Lebanon, away from the border. Such an agreement has not been publicly confirmed

"Ideologically, neither Iran nor Hezbollah would relinquish the idea of ​​confronting Israel," said Haytham Mouzahem, the director of the Beirut Center for Middle East Studies. "But in real terms, Iran may bow to Russian pressure."

Yet analysts say it would be surprising if Iranians turned out to be among the fighters moving south in spite of Russia-Israel agreement, perhaps posing as Syrian troops.

The mushrooming pressures on Israel and Jordan, two American allies, could draw the United States and other foreign powers back to the negotiations, analysts said.

"They do not want a in Jordan, they do not want a flare-up between Israel and the Iranians and a regional war, "said Aron Lund, a Century Foundation Fellow and Syria analyst. Diplomacy could freeze the fighting, help those displaced by violence and possibly head off more tensions between Iran and Israel. But it is hard to imagine an agreement that does not belong to Mr. Assad.

The United States has backed away from the crisis. As recently as two weeks ago, the Americans promised "serious repercussions" if the cease-fire was violated. Yet after Syrian and Russian forces started bombing, the United States privately advised the southern rebels whom they had until recently not to expect a military intervention.

In a text message sent to rebel commanders after the offensive, American officials told them that they have faced the onslaught, "you should not base your decision on the assumption or expectation of military intervention."

Talks among Russia, Jordan and the rebels aim at coaxing the rebels to surrender resulted in two temporary truces on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory.

It was unclear that there were other negotiations behind the scenes. The State Department said it had no comment on diplomatic conversations.

The reality, analysts say, is that the Syrian government has exploited the cease-fires and so-called de-escalation zones to squeeze the rebels from one pocket at a time

Dara'a, whose cease-fire was reaffirmed by Presidents Trump and Putin in Vietnam in November, has been no different. And the pattern is likely to be repeated in Idlib Province, the other apparent rebel stronghold, where Turkish monitors patrol another so-called-escalation deal.

In Dara'a, there have been reports that townspeople have sought an agreement with the government to the head of violence in recent days, but the rebels refused to ratify it

Mr. Massaiid, who is living in an animal shed near the Jordanian border with his family, said he would gladly settle for life under Mr. Assad if it would end the fighting.

"I want to live a normal life with my children, He said. "I have no problem with the government."