On May 16, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Rif Dimashq Salami Muhammad: “Yesterday, the Syrian opposition in the city of Darayya in the Western Ghouta of Damascus managed to deter a massive land attack by the regime forces on the city, using minesweepers and sophisticated tanks. As a result, the opposition announced the killing of around 15 assailants and the destruction of a T-72 tank in the southwestern part of the city. Commander of the Islam Martyrs Brigade in Darayya Captain Abu Jamal said: “The Syrian regime forces’ attack on Darayya yesterday was not an accidental breach of the international truce instated in Syria. Al-Assad prepared for the attack on the city in advance, and it was not a reaction to our breaching of the truce, since the discontinuation of the hostilities was widely successful in Darayya, as opposed to the remaining regions across Syria.”

“Captain Abu Jamal continued in exclusive statements to Al-Quds al-Arabi over the phone that there was a connection between the pressures exerted on Al-Assad’s regime by the international community to introduce aid to the besieged in the city, and the military campaign he launched yesterday, indicating that the truce agreement was successful in Darayya due to the Free Army’s commitment to it, and that the UN committee’s entry into the city refuted all the regime’s claims surrounding the presence of extremist groups who were not included in truce. Consequently, Al-Assad chose war as a means to deprive the city of the international aid. He added: “When the UN committee visited the city, it saw thousands of civilians besieged by Al-Assad and his regime, and suffering from an extremely difficult humanitarian situation.”

“[He deduced:] “Therefore, Al-Assad no longer had a pretext to deprive the city of the UN assistance, except through battles and the breaching of truce with a land war along its fronts.” The commander of the Islam Martyrs Brigade indicated that all the regime forces’ movements in the last few days were pointing to an imminent action on the outskirts of Darayya City, but that the Free Army was ready to deter any possible attack. And this is what happened yesterday, as the regime used elephant rockets and heavy artillery to advance along the southwestern front, but was deterred by the Free Army which destroyed a tank. For his part, Media Office Director in Darayya City Karam ash-Shami spoke about the Syrian regime’s rejection of dozens of international requests to introduce humanitarian aid into the city. And after two months of sustained international pressures on Al-Assad, a humanitarian convoy reached its outskirts.

“However, the regime refused to allow it in, and bombed the civilians who were awaiting the aid with 11 rockets that led to the death of a man and his son, and the injuring of others. Ash-Shami assured at this level that they had acquired leaks saying that the Syrian regime conveyed two options to the Russians. The first was to introduce the aid into Darayya and continue to bomb and raid it, and the second was to stop bombing it, but deprive it of the aid. He indicated that Russia consequently asked Al-Assad to adopt the first option and stall when it comes to the second...”