The Free Syrian Army’s coalition of militias in southern Syria known as the “Southern Front Brigades” launched their third offensive at the provincial capital of the Dara’a Governorate on Tuesday morning, targeting the Syrian Arab Army’s defensive positions at the village of Al-Na’imah, along with the Al-Manishiyah Quarter, the Air Force Intelligence Building, the Dara’a National Hospital, Al-Sihaari Quarter, Train Station, and the Fire Station inside the city.
Unlike their last offensive in early July, the Southern Front’s assault at the provincial capital did not get off to a good start, as the Syrian Arab Army’s 132nd Brigade of the 5th Armored Division – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – thwarted the rebel assault at Al-Na’imah, killing an estimated 50 enemy combatants, including the leader of Jaysh Al-Yarmouk, Bashar Al-Zu’abi.
Following their unsuccessful assault at the village of Al-Na’imah, the Southern Front forces were unable to gain any momentum inside the provincial capital, resulting in the third failed rebel offensive at Dara’a City this year.
Unfortunately for the rebel militias like Jaysh Al-Yarmouk that did take part in this assault, they were left shorthanded due to the reluctance of their allies in the FSA’s Southern Front Brigades to participate in this offensive at Dara’a City.
Currently, the provincial capital of Dara’a is split in half, with the Syrian Armed Forces controlling the northern sector of the city (Dara’a Mahata, Al-Sihaari, and Al-Sijnah) and the Southern Front Brigades controlling the southern sector (Dara’a Al-Balad, Palestinian Camp, and the Al-Sidd Quarters).
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