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Huge Russian Reinforcements for Idlib Battle

A picture taken on June 14, 2019, shows a man walking amidst the debris of destroyed buildings in the town of Ihsim, in Syria’s Idlib region. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP
A picture taken on June 14, 2019, shows a man walking amidst the debris of destroyed buildings in the town of Ihsim, in Syria’s Idlib region. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP
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Huge Russian Reinforcements for Idlib Battle

A picture taken on June 14, 2019, shows a man walking amidst the debris of destroyed buildings in the town of Ihsim, in Syria’s Idlib region. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP
A picture taken on June 14, 2019, shows a man walking amidst the debris of destroyed buildings in the town of Ihsim, in Syria’s Idlib region. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP

In light of the heavy strikes and shelling on Idlib's de-escalation zone in northwest Syria, two large Russian warships were seen on Friday making their way to the Port of Tartous, carrying military equipment.

Turkish maritime observer Yoruk Isik reported that the Russian warships, Ropucha class LSTM Tsezar Kunikov and the Ropucha class landing ship Azov 151, transited the Bosporus Strait en route to Tartous.

This military development came as remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin were seen as a sign of stepped up military operations. Putin said that Moscow has three priorities in Syria, including the fight against terrorism and extremism in Idlib.

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, Putin said a political settlement is making progress and the constitutional committee is being formed, adding that priority lies in ensuring the total elimination of terrorist posts in Syria, primarily in Idlib.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that there was renewed escalation in the countryside of Hama and in Idlib, amid reports of dozens of airstrikes and shelling by regime warplanes on opposition posts.

The monitor said that regime and Russian strikes and shelling have killed at least 28 people including seven civilians in northwest Syria.

It added that 21 militants were also killed in the same region the same day.

The military escalation came despite Moscow’s announcement of a ceasefire with Turkey in the Idlib de-escalation zone as of midnight on June 12, after weeks of escalating rocket fire and air strikes by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.

On the other hand, the official Syrian news agency SANA said Friday that opposition factions had “violated” the truce in the zone by shelling safe areas in the countryside of Hama and Idlib.

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Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
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Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)

Intense clashes erupted in southern Syria between local factions in Suwayda province and armed tribal groups from the surrounding countryside, stoking fears of renewed sectarian violence between communities in Suwayda and neighboring Daraa.

The fighting broke out in the western countryside of Suwayda, just a day after Druze religious leaders and community elders announced the start of an agreement intended to bring stability to the area. Conflicting reports have emerged about the reasons behind the escalation.

Local Telegram channels reported what they called a “military escalation” as armed Bedouin groups, described as “outlaws,” were accused of attempting to break a siege around Bedouin-inhabited villages in the western countryside. Mortar exchanges and machine gun fire were reported between the two sides.

In particular, the village of Al-Dara, home to Bedouin tribes, was reportedly shelled from the nearby town of Al-Thaala. In response, tribal fighters launched a counteroffensive, leading to clashes that involved the use of heavy weaponry.

The independent news outlet Suwayda 24 reported that Al-Thaala itself came under attack from unknown groups firing mortars and machine guns from the western outskirts of the town. The incident triggered a gun battle between local defenders and the attackers.

Rumors further fueled tensions, with some claiming that local factions attempted to destroy a mosque and targeted civilian neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Al-Rasid, another outlet covering Suwayda, noted a sharp increase in provocative videos and audio messages alleging that Suwayda factions were besieging tribal areas and setting fire to mosques.

Officials have denied these claims. Religious leaders reaffirmed that mosques remained protected by local factions. Despite this, armed groups from eastern Daraa, reportedly not locals, began shelling Suwayda villages.

Sources in Daraa told Suwayda 24 that these groups, arriving on motorcycles and in vehicles equipped with mortars and heavy weapons, have been trying to provoke unrest for days. Videos and messages circulated on WhatsApp were allegedly aimed at inciting local communities.

The clashes have already had humanitarian consequences. Mortar attacks on villages including Haran, Al-Thaala, Rasas, and Ara resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to eight others. Dozens of families, particularly women and children, have fled to safer areas.

Local sources say the violence is a deliberate attempt to sow discord between the Druze and tribal communities. They urged residents of both Suwayda and Daraa to resist incitement and work together to de-escalate the situation.

Meanwhile, Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the release of 22 detainees from the towns of Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya in Damascus Countryside, stating they were not involved in bloodshed during recent unrest.

Separately, the Israeli military announced it had raided and destroyed a former Syrian regime command post on Mount Hermon. Israeli forces reportedly uncovered weapons caches and military infrastructure during the operation and seized the materials.