On February 19 afternoon, two unidentified gunmen shot and killed two soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the town of al-Sheikh Maskin in the northern countryside of Daraa.
The gunmen, who were riding a motorcycle, managed to flee the town which is located right on a highway linking Daraa city center with the capital, Damascus.
In the morning, the SAA’s engineer units uncovered and dismantled two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which were planted along the strategic highway. A third IED was found in the town of al-Ghariyah al-Sharqiyah, which is located a few kilometers to the east of the highway. The army engineers couldn’t remove the IED. Due to this, it was destroyed on the spot.
A day earlier, a gunman was killed on the Daraa-Damascus highway when an IED he was trying to plant prematurely exploded.
No group has claimed responsibility for the deadly shooting in al-Sheikh Maskin or the failed IED attacks, yet. Terrorist groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Horas al-Din remain the main suspects.
The recent developments highlight the bad security situation in Daraa. The SAA and other government forces have been making much effort to secure the governorate. Nevertheless, more should be done.
Why saa don’t use chemical again to get rid of this scumbags once for all. job done
I agree
Bow and arrow is cheeper.