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On November 3 and 4, dozens of families were evacuated from the southern part of the Syrian city of Daraa, commonly known as Daraa al-Balad, where ISIS cells are in control.
Russian-backed local fighters and former rebels launched a security operation to uproot ISIS from Daraa al-Balad with direct support from the Syrian military and intelligence on August 31.
The evacuation of the families was facilitated by a temporary ceasefire agreement that was approved by ISIS terrorists in Daraa al-Balad and Syrian forces on November 2. The ceasefire was supposed to last for 24 hours only. However, it was expanded late on November 3 for another day.
Despite of the ceasefire, a vehicle of the 8th Brigade was targeted with an improvised explosive device while passing on a road between the towns of Kiheel and al-Musayfrah in the eastern Daraa countryside on November 4. The attack, which wounded the vehicle’s driver, was blamed on ISIS.
The security operation in Daraa al-Balad is being led by the 8th Brigade, a Russian-backed formation of the military’s 5th Corps that is mainly made of up local fighters and former rebels.
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, three local fighters, three terrorists and three civilians have been killed since the start of the security operation.
Fighting will likely resume in Daraa al-Balad within a few days, if not hours. The remaining terrorists of ISIS in the city don’t stand a chance. Their hideouts are completely besieged. The security operation will likely continue until all the terrorists are either killed or captured.
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