Illustrative image.
On September 16, local leaders in Tafas, one of the largest towns in the western countryside of Daraa, accepted a reconciliation agreement that was offered by Syrian authorities.
Under the agreement, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) will redeploy its troops in several posts inside and around Tafas. Army troops withdrew from the town to avoid being attacked by local gunmen during the last crisis in the southern part of Daraa city, known as Daraa al-Balad.
The SAA will also launch a combing operation in Tafas in order to uncover any hidden weapons or hideouts in the town or its outskirts.
Furthermore, local gunmen in Tafas will hand over their arms as well as weapons seized during previous attacks on SAA posts around the town. All the gunmen will then join the reconciliation process.
Click to see full-size map. Source: (@Suriyakmaps) on Twitter, Via Google Maps – TerraMetrics.
Tafas is the third town in the western Daraa countryside to reach a reconciliation agreement with Syrian authorities this month. The first town was al-Yadudah, while the second was Muzayrib.
The ongoing work to secure and stabilize the western countryside of Daraa is not limited to reconciliation deals. On September 16 morning, the SAA deployed a large force in the Jillen housing complex, which was abandoned last year due to security concerns.
The agreement in Tafas will further boost the reconciliation process in the western countryside of Daraa, which will likely cover more towns in the upcoming few days.
