By Ammar Johmani
Spokesman for the Southern Front Essam al-Rayes said regime's major offensive on Daraa province had failed to achieve its targets despite the heavy aerial and ground bombing and hundreds of Iran-backed Shiite militants.
Al-Rayes said in an interview with Ammar Johmani that ISIS began to move in harmony with the regime and suspiciously in the Yarmouk basin in order to control new areas. He pointed out that the rebels are aware of these movements and are ready for any development on the ground.
Al-Rayes pointed out that what Daraa offered today deserves from all those who criticized the Southern Front an apology, because Daraa repelled the strongest attack and forced the regime to choose the truce. To interview details.
- Why all this mobilization by the regime and its allies against Daraa?
The first is that the symbol of Daraa, "the cradle of the revolution," is an important issue for the regime as it tries to break this symbolism, but it fails. The second reason has strategic dimensions. A shield is the link between the east of Daraa and Quneitra and between the Badya. If militias reach the Jordanian borders, this is scary regionally speaking and the regime tried to play on this string, in addition to the attempt to cut the supply lines between west and east of Daraa.
- Since you mentioned regional concerns about the arrival of the militias, this means that you received regional support?
Support did not amount to what is going on in Daraa. The truth is the support has one course in the Syrian revolution. There is no international support except for the TAO missiles, which can not be used inside the cities. We did not rely on this. In Daraa battles, rebels participate in tanks and these tanks were taken from the regime.
- Does the armistice save the opposition or the regime?
In fact, we did not ask for a truce, and we see it as an attempt to show Russia that it can force the regime through a truce, or that it is an attempt by the regime to capture its breath, especially as it suffered heavy losses and failed miserably to break into the rebel areas. Also the Hezbollah and Iran militias took their killed.
- There was criticism of the Daraa Front. Today, it moved only when the regime progressed. Will the Front only react?
The strategy of the factions in Daraa has been constant and that is not to lose our areas through reconciliations and forced displacement, so the strategy was to preserve the land. I would like to say that the Southern Front since what happened in the Daraya has lost only 2.4 of its territory, so the rebels preferred to preserve these areas, and now deserve an apology to all after all these heroic battles.
- How did the truce take place?
We did not ask for the truce, and we heard it from the media of the regime. The regime has already committed itself to the truce and that is why we responded to this truce and things have returned to normal in accordance with the easing of tensions and the violations of the truce remained within the Astana deal framework.
- Did ISIS move with the regime in these battles?
Indeed, ISIS moved suspiciously in the past two days and in harmony with regime military operations.
We have no doubt that ISIS a tool in the hands of the regime, and for us coordination between the two parties is very obvious, which share economic and military interests against the rebels.
- After all that happened, representatives of the Southern Front might go to Astana?
The course of Astana is a true international regional course. It is with Geneva, it is a separate battle from the field. It is a battle for the benefit of the Syrian people. Not going to negotiate is not useful on the ground. Everything that is being done to the civilians is a gain for the Syrians. I think it is not good to link Geneva and Astana and the battles inside Syria.
- How long will the Daraa front stand in the face of this escalation?
In practice, we cannot talk about days or months, but there is a real will on the part of the rebels, and this is what we saw in fighting and thwarting all the regime's attempts to advance. Let me say that thwarting the attempt of the Fourth and Fifth Army Divisions backed by Hezbollah and Iran in addition to Russia air is not to be measured militarily. The criterion is the will and the steadfastness, not the time factor.
Another thing regarding Daraa Front, there are local fighters and we do not have the process of filling the martyrs' vacuum, but I repeat that the rebels have the will to protect Daraa and stand steadfast against the regime and its allies
