Syria: 10 casualties reported in bomb explosion in Daraa province near Damascus

On the night of 8th September, seven Syrian soldiers were killed when a bomb exploded in their vehicle. According to Sputnik, three other Syrian servicemen were hurt due to the explosion. A day before the attack, Syrian army troops and law enforcement officers were reported to be taking precautions to enhance law and stability in the Daraa region, where terrorist activity has escalated lately. 

As per the Sputnik report, the bomb was detonated on the route between the towns of Nafia and Ain Zakar and the explosive device was allegedly put on the highway. Syrian Army forces invaded Daraa al Balad, on Wednesday which is the southernmost city of the region with the support of Russian military policemen. The province is the final foothold of militant criminal organisations in southern Syria. 

More about the situation in Daraa al Balad

Areas of Daraa al Balad remained under the hands of local criminal terrorists, making the circumstances in the province extremely volatile which was earlier retaken by the Syrian government in 2018. Previously, four Syrian soldiers were killed in conflicts with Syrian army troops and the militants, while another eight were injured.  

According to Sputnik, a new deal on local rapprochement was established on September 1st. It included the option of trying to rehabilitate the position of terrorists who consented to surrender their weaponry, along with other issues. Militants who declined to put away their weapons were forced to evacuate Daraa, and the government provided buses for them to do so. 

On the other hand, the criminal militant groups in Daraa broke the deal last week, declaring that they will not adhere to its conditions and refusing to hand over their weapons. Authorities provided them 40 buses to transfer to northern Syria or Jordan. As per the Sputnik report, approximately 93 militants gave up their weapons and gained new social standing. The settlement was made on Sunday, with the help of Russian mediators. 

Earlier Attacks in Syria

Earlier, on Friday Syria claimed that it has taken down Israeli missiles as they were coming near Damascus, saying that it was retaliating for Israel's aggressive behaviour with its own air defence systems. The bulk of the missiles that were taken down were fired from a region southeast of Lebanon, and they were aimed at Damascus. 

According to the state media report, in the 1:26 a.m. assault on Friday, Syrian air defences shot down the bulk of Israeli missiles, causing relatively little damage.  As per the Israeli army, a surface-to-air missile fired from Syrian territory into Israeli airspace exploded over the Mediterranean Sea, with several fragments left on the ground in central Israel. Many residents in central Israel claimed to hear a loud explosion at the time Syria launched the strike.   

(Image Credit: AP/ Representative Image)