Syria: Syrian regime troops killed and injured in attempted advance on Daraa
Several troops from the Syrian regime’s Fourth Division were killed and wounded on Monday as they tried to advance on the besieged Daraa Al-Balad area of Daraa city in southern Syria.
Abu Al-Baraa Al-Hourani, a member of the Free People of Houran media activist group, told The New Arab’s Arabic-language service that “violent clashes with automatic weapons broke out at midday on Monday, between young men from Daraa on the one hand and Fourth Division militias supported by Iran on the other”.
He said that fighting started when the Fourth Division and its pro-Iranian militia allies tried to advance on Daraa Al-Balad from the neighbouring Manshiya area. Iran is one of the key backers of the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad.
“Members of the Fourth Division were killed and injured after young men from Daraa thwarted their attempt [to enter Daraa Al-Balad] and they did not make any significant gains on the ground,” Al-Hourani added, without specifying the number killed or injured.