The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has reportedly sent large reinforcements to the southern city of Draa in order to boost its remaining defenses north of the strategic Al-Minsheah neighborhood in Daraa Al-Balad. According to a SAA source, government forces are trying to reorganize its defenses yet again in an attempt to repel the ongoing Haya’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) advance.
HTS’s Daraa operations room denied reports that the group had taken control of the Al-Minsheah neighborhood. According to the operations room, HTS is in control of 85% of the neighborhood and the SAA still controls many points in its northern part and in the nearby Al-Sjnah neighborhood.
A pro-HTS map of the situation (red – government forces, blue and powder-blue – HTS, orange – Al-Sjnah neighborhood):
Click to see the full-size map
The HTS operation room also released photos of the recently captured Oqba Bin-Nafea’a mosque in Al-Minsheah.
Meanwhile, the Syrian and Russian air forces destroyed many HTS positions in Daraa Al-Balad and on the Al-Saad road using heavy bombs.
In another development, two Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters were killed after an IED –likely planted by the Syrian Special Forces – hit their vehicle on the Um-Almyazen road in the Daraa countryside.
HTS continues its advance inside the Draa city soon in order to take control of Al-Minsheah.
