a researcher on Syrian militias, but it appears they too will soon fall to the regime



"[The campaign's success is] probably because of the overwhelming firepower and manpower advantage of the Syrian government, [and] also the intense Russian air raids," Tamimi told The New Arab.



"A number of ex-rebels have joined the fight on the government side."





Abu Walid al-Masri

Syrian regime forces are laying siege to the last villages under the control of an Islamic State group affiliated militia - known as Jaish Khalid bin al-Waleed - in southern Syria, following a lightning campaign against the militants.Syria's elite Tiger Forces, the Hizballah-linked Special Force , and Fourth Armoured Division - backed by Russian airpower - have led the offensive on the IS enclave in the Yarmouk Valley basin in Daraa province.Around four or five villages remain in the hands of IS, according to Aymenn al-Tamimi,Under cover of a massive artillery bombardment, regime forces entered the town of al-Shajara on Monday, described as the group's "main bastion".Around 260 IS fighters have been killed since the regime launched an offensive on the territories in mid-July.It is not clear how many civilians have died amid the barrage of rockets and bombs hitting the Yarmouk Valley area, but images of recently recaptured towns and villages indicate the death toll could be high.Syrian state news agency SANA reported the death of al-Shajara's commanderduring clashes on Monday. The fate of Jaish Khalid bin al-Waleed's other leaders remains unknown.IS have hit back at the regime with suicide bomb attacks and explosives, in an attempt to slow the pace of the assault but with little effect.Jaish Khalid bin al-Waleed previously operated in the area under the name the Yarmouk Martyrs' Brigade The largely tribal outfit went to war with local rebel groups in Daraa province, following rumours that its leadership had sworn allegiance to IS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Rebel campaigns against Jaish Khalid bin al-Waleed failed to dislodge the group from the valley.A huge regime offensive on opposition areas of Daraa province and Quneitra saw the collapse of rebel resistance in the area, leaving the Yarmouk Valley as one of the last areas on southern Syrian not under government control.Faced with huge Russian bombing, many rebel groups agreed to surrender deals that required them to join regime security forces.A number of former rebel groups, including the Youth of Sunna Forces, have taken part in the regime offensive on the Yarmouk Valley.</s>BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:30 A.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has begun their powerful assault on the Islamic State’s (ISIS) last stronghold in southwest Daraa this morning.

Backed by Russian airstrikes, the Syrian Arab Army’s Tiger Forces branch began their attack this morning by striking the Islamic State’s defenses at the northern axis of Shajarah.

According to a military source in Daraa, the ISIS-affiliated Jaysh Khaled bin Walid forces are putting up heavy resistance at Shajarah, despite being outnumbered by the Syrian Arab Army.

The source added that the Syrian Army’s attack on Shajarah was launched their positions at the recently liberated town of Abdeen, which was seized yesterday.

If the Syrian Army can take control of Shajarah, they will ultimately force the Islamic State terrorists to give up their remaining positions in the Yarmouk Basin region.

Currently, the Syrian Arab Army controls at least 99 percent of the Yarmouk Basin region, leaving the Jaysh Khaled bin Walid terrorists with only 70 square kilometers of territory under their occupation.</s>BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:00 P.M.) – For the first time since 2014, Syria’s entire border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has been declared militant-free after both the rebel and Islamic State (ISIS) fighters conceded their last positions.

According to a military report from the Daraa Governorate, the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Armored Division was able to seize the Islamic State’s last border points this afternoon, following a fierce battle with the terrorist group’s Jaysh Khaled bin Walid faction.

Meanwhile, at the Shajarah front, the Syrian Arab Army’s Tiger Forces branch overpowered the remaining Islamic State terrorists at this key town, resulting in the capture of the latter’s last major stronghold in the Daraa Governorate.

With the border of the occupied Golan Heights cleared and Shajarah liberated, the Syrian Arab Army is on the verge of seizing the last 50 square kilometers of territory that is still under the occupation of the Jaysh Khaled bin Walid forces.

Once this last Islamic State pocket is cleared, the Syrian Arab Army will have full control of the Yarmouk Basin region and the entire Daraa Governorate for the first time since 2011.</s>Local media reported that former militants from the Free Syria Army had sided with the Syrian Arab Army against the Daesh-affiliated* terrorists in the southern province of Daraa.

READ MORE: Evacuation of Militants to North Syria Begins in Daraa – Reports

A Russian field reporter has recorded the ongoing terrorist offensive, suggesting that over 500 ex-militants were currently fighting alongside government forces after the ceasefire was reached.

Last month the Reconciliation Center announced that the first group of Free Syrian Army militants had joined government forces in the southern de-escalation zone.

“On June 22, after talks between the representatives of the Russian Reconciliation Center and the Syrian authorities with the militants of the Free Syrian Army in the southern zone of de-escalation, the leader of the Tajammu al-Wiyat al-Omari [Omari Brigades] announced that his group is siding with the Syrian government.”

The Syrian Army stepped up its offensive in Daraa after its capital and a number of other cities were shelled by local militants despite a ceasefire. Earlier in July, the government secured control of most of the province with the help of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria.

Under the reconciliation deal, a group of militants agreed to surrender arms, halt hostilities and return to peaceful life, while others, who didn’t want to reconcile with the country’s authorities, would be evacuated from the province along with their families.

“As a result of the talks with the leaders of armed groups in the province of Daraa, under the mediation of the Russian Center for Reconciliation, an agreement on the following issues [has been reached]: the cessation of hostilities, the beginning of the delivery of heavy and medium weapons in all settlements under the control of armed groups,” the reconciliation center stated in a July 7 report.

Slightly over a week ago, a source in the security services told Sputnik that nearly 1,500 had militants left the suburbs of Daraa for Idlib in Syria’s northwest.
The Syrian Army seizes control of Al-Shajara, described as ISIL's "main bastion" in the Daraa Governorate.