The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sanamayn, in Daraa province, led to the death of 20 individuals on Sunday.
This violent outbreak came in the wake of an explosive device detonation on Saturday, which tragically claimed the lives of eight children.
Daraa province has been mired in a state of security chaos, characterized by assassinations and skirmishes among various armed factions, despite the Syrian government forces reclaiming control in 2018.
According to the Observatory, fierce clashes erupted between a local group led by Muhsen al-Haymed, a former ISIS affiliate currently aligned with military intelligence, and another faction headed by Ahmad Jammal al-Labbad, who previously worked for the state security service.
The confrontation was particularly intense in the Joura district of Sanamayn, where both groups engaged in a fierce battle using a wide array of weaponry.
The report further detailed that al-Haymed’s group launched an aggressive incursion into al-Labbad’s family residences on Sunday, setting them ablaze, killing those inside, and burning their bodies post-mortem.
Al-Labbad has been accused of orchestrating the explosive device attack on Saturday that resulted in the deaths of eight children—an allegation he denies, as per the Observatory.
Sunday’s clashes resulted in 20 fatalities, including a woman, two children from the Labbad family, two civilians, and 14 fighters. This toll marks an increase from an earlier count of 17 deaths provided by the Observatory.
The situation in Daraa underscores the ongoing volatility and complexity of the Syrian conflict, highlighting the deep-seated divisions and the dire consequences of violence on the civilian population.
