ALEPPO — Battles have been raging since June 15 between the Syrian regime forces and the armed opposition in Lajat in Daraa’s eastern countryside in southwestern Syria. The Syrian regime forces, backed by Iraqi militias and fighters from Lebanese Hezbollah, are trying to gain military control over the area after breaking the de-escalation agreement that was ratified under US-Russian-Jordanian auspices in 2017.

The regime forces and its allies, supported by foreign fighters and Russian air cover, succeeded in seizing Busra al-Harir and Melihit al-Atash June 26 following violent clashes with the armed military factions that lasted several days. The battles involved intense shelling from the regime’s military air force with 500 air raids, while regime helicopters dropped 35 barrel bombs on Busra al-Harir before its seizure.

Meanwhile, armed factions deterred several attempts to advance toward Nahta, a town that is facing intense shelling from the regime’s tanks and air force. The Central Operations Room, run by the armed opposition factions, said that its anti-aircraft batteries struck a MiG 23 aircraft June 25 while it was conducting an air raid on Busra al-Harir.

The Syrian regime forces began sending massive military reinforcements to south Syria in mid-May. The US State Department released a statement June 14 saying that it would take “firm and appropriate measures” to respond to the Syrian government’s violations in the de-escalation zone in the southwest.