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On June 17, main units of the Tiger Forces headed by Gen. Suheil al-Hassan arrived in the northern Daraa countryside. According to Syrian pro-government sources, the forces established a headquarter in the Khalkhalah airbase.
? نمور الجيش الى درعا pic.twitter.com/Cdox3wOVz8
— سوريا العظمى (@liongeneral19) June 17, 2018
A source in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) confirmed to SouthFront that that the long-awaited military operation in southern Syria will begin “soon.” The source added that more units of the Tiger Forces will be deployed in Daraa in the upcoming days as a part of the preparations for the advance.
A day earlier, leader of the US-backed Alwiya al-Furqan Free Syrian Army (FSA) group Mohammed Majid al-Khatib revealed that Russia, the UK and the U.S. failed to reach an agreement on southern Syria. The FSA leader also warned that the SAA and its allies will attack armed groups in southern Syria soon.
According to Syrian pro-government activists, that the SAA and its allies are planning to attack the militants on two fronts: the western al-Quneitra countryside and the eastern Daraa countryside. However, these claims are yet to be confirmed.
On June 14, the U.S. Department of State warned that the U.S will take “firm and appropriate measures” in response to any attack of the SAA on the “de-escalation zone” in southwestern Syria.
While a direct military intervention by the U.S. is very unlikely, the U.S. and its allies, mainly Jordan and Israel, may boost their military support for the FSA in southern Syria in response to any attack of the SAA there.
