Siege of Daraa
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Daraa was a military operation, conducted by the Syrian military
, in the city of Daraa against what the government called terrorist groups, while the opposition called it a crackdown against pro-democracy protestors.
. There were some clashes with security forces, according to reports from dissident groups. On 18 March, the most serious unrest to take place in Syria for decades erupted. After online calls for a "Friday of Dignity" , after Friday prayers, thousands of protesters demanding an end to alleged government corruption took to the streets of cities across Syria. The protesters were met with a violent crackdown orchestrated by state security forces. The protesters chanted "God, Syria, Freedom" and anti-corruption slogans.
Increasingly, the city of Daraa became the focal point for the uprising. On 20 March, thousands took to the streets of Daraa for a third day, shouting slogans against the country's emergency law. One person was killed and scores injured as security forces opened fire on protesters. The courthouse, the Ba'ath party headquarters in the city, and Rami Makhlouf's
Syriatel
building were all set on fire. The next day, hundreds of people protested in Jassem, and there were also reports of protests in Baniyas
, Homs
and Hama
. Al-Assad made some conciliatory gestures, but crowds continued to gather in and around the Omari mosque in Dara’a, chanting their demands: the release of all political prisoners; trials for those who shot and killed protesters; the abolition of Syria’s 48-year emergency law; more freedoms; and an end to pervasive corruption. Mobile phone connections to Daraa were cut during the day and checkpoints were set up throughout the city and manned by soldiers.
On 8 April, heavy clashes erupted in the city between protestors, the military and unknown groups of gunmen in which 23 protestors and 19 soldiers were killed. The military also stated that 75 soldiers were wounded by, what they called, terrorist gunmen.
. At least one high-ranking Syrian military commander refused to participate in the operation against Daraa. A resident of Daraa said to media reporters over the phone: "Let Obama
come and take Syria. Let Israel
come and take Syria. Let the Jews
come. Anything is better than Bashar Assad." During the whole siege, opposition members claimed that rooftop snipers were constantly picking off any males trying to go into the streets and were only letting the women go out to the bakeries and only at a pre-determined time. Also, the military was reported to had shelled parts of the city and used heavy machine guns against opposition members. The Army, for its part, stated that during the operation they engaged terrorist groups and managed to kill or capture dozens of them and seize weapons and mobile phones with foreign cards in them. The military also reported several incidents during which unidentified gunmen attacked military checkpoints and homes of officers in the city.
U.S. President Barack Obama
condemned the "outrageous" use of violence, and the U.S. prepared to freeze Syrian officials' American assets. EU
countries, including permanent Security Council
members France and the U.K., pushed the U.N. for international sanctions, though it remained unclear whether permanent council members Russia and China would support them. Syria said it was responding to an Islamist-inspired uprising.
On 28 April, Al Jazeera
aired footage of what appear to be injured soldiers receiving aid from civilians in Syria, reportedly after they refused orders to shoot at protesters and were fired upon by loyalist units. The network warned it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage but claimed that it came from a "reliable source".
On 29 April, Al Jazeera reported that at least 50 people were claimed dead across the country as a result of the security forces' response to protests, which started after Friday noon prayers. 15 of those killed were reported to had died near Deraa after security forces fired on thousands of protesters trying to enter the besieged city.
On 30 April, an operation was conducted against the Omari mosque in the old part of the city, from which protests were organised every Friday in the town. According to a resident, tank shells and heavy machine guns were fired at the mosque and at least three helicopters were involved in the operation who dropped paratroopers onto the mosque's roof. During the assault on the building, six people were killed, including the son of the mosque imam, and dozens were arrested, including the imam himself. After the operation snipers were positioned on the roof of the mosque. During the day, an anonymous person posted what appeared to be video of soldiers in Sheik Meskeen attacking and killing unarmed protesters with live ammunition.
On 5 May, the military concluded its operation and started to pull out of the city. However, some troops and tanks remained to keep the situation in Daraa under control. At the same time, troops were reported to be deploying around another opposition hub, the coastal town of Baniyas
.
Military of Syria
The Syrian Armed Forces are the military forces of Syria. They consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense Force.-Manpower:The President of Syria is the commander in chief of the Syrian armed forces, comprising some 646,500 troops upon mobilization. The military is a conscripted force;...
, in the city of Daraa against what the government called terrorist groups, while the opposition called it a crackdown against pro-democracy protestors.
Background
On 15 March, a protest movement against the Syrian government began to escalate, as simultaneous demonstrations took place in major cities across Syria. The uprising was sparked by the arrest of teenagers who scrawled anti-regime graffiti on a wall in Daraa. Thousands of protestors gathered in al-Hasakah, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, and HamaHama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
. There were some clashes with security forces, according to reports from dissident groups. On 18 March, the most serious unrest to take place in Syria for decades erupted. After online calls for a "Friday of Dignity" , after Friday prayers, thousands of protesters demanding an end to alleged government corruption took to the streets of cities across Syria. The protesters were met with a violent crackdown orchestrated by state security forces. The protesters chanted "God, Syria, Freedom" and anti-corruption slogans.
Increasingly, the city of Daraa became the focal point for the uprising. On 20 March, thousands took to the streets of Daraa for a third day, shouting slogans against the country's emergency law. One person was killed and scores injured as security forces opened fire on protesters. The courthouse, the Ba'ath party headquarters in the city, and Rami Makhlouf's
Rami Makhlouf
Rami Makhlouf is a wealthy Syrian businessman and the maternal cousin of President Bashar Assad. He is the main owner of Syriatel and according to the Financial Times he is thought to control as much as 60% of the Syrian economy through his web of business interests that include...
Syriatel
Syriatel
Syriatel Mobile Telecom PLCfounded in Nov 2001Capital: SYP 3.350 billionCommon shares: 134 millionStock Par value: SYP25 Syriatel leads the Syrian mobile telecommunication market since 2000, Syriatel believes that the first responsibility is to offer the customers a wide array of high quality...
building were all set on fire. The next day, hundreds of people protested in Jassem, and there were also reports of protests in Baniyas
Baniyas
Baniyas is a city of northwestern Syria, located at the foot of the hill of Qalaat el-Marqab , 55 km to the south of Latakia and 35 km north of Tartous , and a Catholic titular see under the Latin name of Balanea, which is presently vacant.It is famous for its orchards...
, Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
and Hama
Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
. Al-Assad made some conciliatory gestures, but crowds continued to gather in and around the Omari mosque in Dara’a, chanting their demands: the release of all political prisoners; trials for those who shot and killed protesters; the abolition of Syria’s 48-year emergency law; more freedoms; and an end to pervasive corruption. Mobile phone connections to Daraa were cut during the day and checkpoints were set up throughout the city and manned by soldiers.
On 8 April, heavy clashes erupted in the city between protestors, the military and unknown groups of gunmen in which 23 protestors and 19 soldiers were killed. The military also stated that 75 soldiers were wounded by, what they called, terrorist gunmen.
The Siege
On 25 April, the Syrian government deployed tanks to Daraa killing at least 25 people. The tanks were accompanied by soldiers—estimates varied from hundreds to 6,000—rooftop snipers, and the cutting of water, power, and phone lines. One resident said that protesters had burned an army car and taken a soldier hostage. The storming of the city was spearheaded by the Fourth Mechanised Division, which is commanded by president Al Assad's brother, Maher. The government also closed the nearby border with JordanJordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. At least one high-ranking Syrian military commander refused to participate in the operation against Daraa. A resident of Daraa said to media reporters over the phone: "Let Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
come and take Syria. Let Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
come and take Syria. Let the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
come. Anything is better than Bashar Assad." During the whole siege, opposition members claimed that rooftop snipers were constantly picking off any males trying to go into the streets and were only letting the women go out to the bakeries and only at a pre-determined time. Also, the military was reported to had shelled parts of the city and used heavy machine guns against opposition members. The Army, for its part, stated that during the operation they engaged terrorist groups and managed to kill or capture dozens of them and seize weapons and mobile phones with foreign cards in them. The military also reported several incidents during which unidentified gunmen attacked military checkpoints and homes of officers in the city.
U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
condemned the "outrageous" use of violence, and the U.S. prepared to freeze Syrian officials' American assets. EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
countries, including permanent Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
members France and the U.K., pushed the U.N. for international sanctions, though it remained unclear whether permanent council members Russia and China would support them. Syria said it was responding to an Islamist-inspired uprising.
On 28 April, Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
aired footage of what appear to be injured soldiers receiving aid from civilians in Syria, reportedly after they refused orders to shoot at protesters and were fired upon by loyalist units. The network warned it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage but claimed that it came from a "reliable source".
On 29 April, Al Jazeera reported that at least 50 people were claimed dead across the country as a result of the security forces' response to protests, which started after Friday noon prayers. 15 of those killed were reported to had died near Deraa after security forces fired on thousands of protesters trying to enter the besieged city.
On 30 April, an operation was conducted against the Omari mosque in the old part of the city, from which protests were organised every Friday in the town. According to a resident, tank shells and heavy machine guns were fired at the mosque and at least three helicopters were involved in the operation who dropped paratroopers onto the mosque's roof. During the assault on the building, six people were killed, including the son of the mosque imam, and dozens were arrested, including the imam himself. After the operation snipers were positioned on the roof of the mosque. During the day, an anonymous person posted what appeared to be video of soldiers in Sheik Meskeen attacking and killing unarmed protesters with live ammunition.
On 5 May, the military concluded its operation and started to pull out of the city. However, some troops and tanks remained to keep the situation in Daraa under control. At the same time, troops were reported to be deploying around another opposition hub, the coastal town of Baniyas
Baniyas
Baniyas is a city of northwestern Syria, located at the foot of the hill of Qalaat el-Marqab , 55 km to the south of Latakia and 35 km north of Tartous , and a Catholic titular see under the Latin name of Balanea, which is presently vacant.It is famous for its orchards...
.