Indiscriminate Bombardment by the Syrian Army Across Many Cities in Daraa Province Cause Civilian Injuries and Casualties

The Syrian Regular Army has escalated the bombing of civilian areas in many towns and cities within Daraa province countryside. On one day bombings occurred in Tafas City, al-Hrak, Izraa, al-Naymah, Ibtta, al-Balad, al-Yadoda and Kafar Shams.

On Thursday, December 22, 2016, the military artillery shelled Tafas city in the west part of the Daraa countryside. Activist Adam al-Tiby told Syrians for Truth and Justice that “The Syrian Regular Forces indiscriminately targeted the city, held by the armed opposition forces, with three artillery shells that hit several civilian neighborhoods near the main market, killing one man, Ghandy Souleiman Abo Dais, in addition to wounding four others slightly”.

Image of Ghandy Abo Dais, who died during the indiscriminate bombarding on Tafas city
Photo credit: Activists from Tafas city

According to another Syrians for Truth and Justice Reporter, al-Hrak city in the west part of Daraa countryside was also bombarded the same day by rocket missiles from Izraa city, which is held by the regular forces stationed in the 12^th Brigade (which is belong to the Syrian army). In addition to wounding seven civilians, the bombing killed a mother and her son:

1. Fatema Taha Ismaeel al-Zoeby

2. Talal Mohamad Hassan al-Zoeby

Attacks continued to occur that day in many parts of Daraa province, with al-Naymah, a town east of Daraa, being shelled by ground-to-ground rockets (aka “Phil rockets”) that were dropped on civilian houses, injuring three people. Ibtta city was also shelled indiscriminately by anti-aircraft missiles, which injured one civilian slightly. Again on the same day, al-Yadoda and Kafar Shams were hit by artillery shells that were dropped on civilian buildings, which also seemed to indicate indiscriminate bombings. The regular forces also struck the al-Balad neighborhood in Daraa with ground-to-ground rockets (aka “Phil rockets”) which led to more civilian injuries. This neighborhood has faced daily indiscriminate bombardments, with a seemingly equally discriminate variety of rockets and missiles.

The activist A. Masarwa, from Daraa city, has told Syrians for Truth and Justice that armed opposition Syrian forces targeted the security box in the al-Sabeel neighborhood with one missile hitting a house adjacent to a security branch. This act led to the death of four family members, all civilians. A passer-by was also registered as killed near a security branch in al-Mattar neighborhood, where nine others were also wounded. The casualties are:

1. Mahmoud Abd al-Hady al-Jrar (al-Mattar neighborhood)

2. Ajwad al-Masri

3. Abdallah Ajwad al-Masri

4. Abdurahman Ajwad al-Masri

5. Mahmoud Ajwad al-Masri