A regime offensive in southern Syria has threatened to displace thousands near the Jordanian border. The US has warned Damascus of upending a ceasefire in the area, saying it will take "firm and appropriate measures."
Image: picture-alliance/M.Yusuf
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The UN said 750,000 people in southwestern Syria may be in danger amid a fresh wave of violence in southwestern Syria.
"Today, fighting and shelling continued to be reported in many towns on the eastern and western side of Daraa governorate," said the UN statement.
"On June 20, shelling and fighting in several areas of Daraa governorate reportedly resulted in the death of 20 people, including 11 in Daraa city; many others were injured."
Considered the birthplace of Syria's 2011 uprising, Daraa hosts thousands of internally displaced people. However, many of them have fled the area since a regime-led offensive to recapture rebel-held areas in the governorate.
"More than 12,000 civilians have fled their homes in the last three days after regime forces intensified their shelling and air strikes," said UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a nationwide network of on-the-ground sources.
Dara'a hosts camps for internally displaced people Image: picture-alliance/A.Al Ali
Tensions rising
On Tuesday, regime forces dropped leaflets in rebel-held areas of Daraa, urging civilians to help clear the area of so-called "terrorists," a word used by the government to brand rebels.
In 2017, the US, Russia and Jordan agreed to include Daraa as part of a "de-escalation zone" aimed at creating safe zones for Syrians, especially internally displaced people. Last month, the US warned that it would take "firm and appropriate measures" to safeguard a ceasefire in the area.
More than 300,000 people have been killed since the conflict emerged in 2011, when government forces launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters calling for the release of political prisoners and President Bashar Assad to step down.
Since then, the conflict has transformed into a multi-fronted war involving global powers, neighboring countries and non-state actors, including the US, Russia and Iran.
Who's fighting in the Syria conflict?
Syria's civil war erupted out of the Arab Spring protests that swept much of the Middle East and North Africa in 2011. The conflict has since drawn in multiple warring factions from around the world.
Image: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
War with no end
Syria has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since 2011 after Syrian President Bashar Assad lost control over large parts of the country to multiple revolutionary groups. The conflict has since drawn in foreign powers and brought misery and death to Syrians.
Image: picture alliance/abaca/A. Al-Bushy
The dictator
Syria's army, officially known as the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), is loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is fighting to restore the president's rule over the entire country. The SAA has been fighting alongside a number of pro-Assad militias such as the National Defense Force and has cooperated with military advisors from Russia and Iran, which back Assad.
Turkey, which is also part of the US-led coalition against IS, has actively supported rebels opposed to Assad. It has a tense relationship with its American allies over US cooperation with Kurdish fighters, who Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighting in Turkey. Turkey has launched multiple military offensives targeting Kurdish militias.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/L. Pitarakis
The eastern guardian
The Kremlin has proven to be a powerful friend to Assad. Russian air power and ground troops officially joined the fight in September 2015 after years of supplying the Syrian army. Moscow has come under fire from the international community for the high number of civilian casualties during its airstrikes. However, Russia's intervention turned the tide in war in favor of Assad.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Tass/M. Metzel
The western allies
A US-led coalition of more than 50 countries, including Germany, began targeting IS and other terrorist targets with airstrikes in late 2014. The anti-IS coalition has dealt major setbacks to the militant group. The US has more than a thousand special forces in the country backing the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/A.Brandon
The rebels
The Free Syrian Army grew out of protests against the Assad regime that eventually turned violent. Along with other non-jihadist rebel groups, it seeks the ouster of President Assad and democratic elections. After suffering a number of defeats, many of its members defected to hardline militant groups. It garnered some support from the US and Turkey, but its strength has been greatly diminished.
Image: Reuters
The resistance
Fighting between Syrian Kurds and Islamists has become its own conflict. The US-led coalition against the "Islamic State" has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias. The Kurdish YPG militia is the main component of the SDF. The Kurds have had a tacit understanding with Assad.
Image: Getty Images/A. Sik
The new jihadists
"Islamic State" (IS) took advantage of regional chaos to capture vast swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014. Seeking to establish its own "caliphate," IS has become infamous for its fundamentalist brand of Islam and its mass atrocities. IS is on the brink of defeat after the US and Russia led separate military campaigns against the militant group.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
The old jihadists
IS is not the only terrorist group that has ravaged Syria. A number of jihadist militant groups are fighting in the conflict, warring against various rebel factions and the Assad regime. One of the main jihadist factions is Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which controls most of Idlib province and has ties with al-Qaeda.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Nusra Front on Twitter
The Persian shadow
Iran has supported Syria, its only Arab ally, for decades. Eager to maintain its ally, Tehran has provided Damascus with strategic assistance, military training and ground troops when the conflict emerged in 2011. The Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah also supports the Assad regime, fighting alongside Iranian forces and paramilitary groups in the country.
