US backed Syrian rebels get 12-hours to surrender Dara'a

MOSCOW:- Russia has given Syrian rebels in Dara'a 12 hours to lay down their arms, before bombing of war-torn southern provinces resumes while Syrian soldiers and their allies continued their advance west of the rebel held province.

Syria's official news agency SANA reported that Syrian troopers have managed to capture the strategic hilltop of Tal Zamitiyah village following a short battle with militants from the so-called Free Syrian Army.

The report added that the assault was led by the Syrian Army's 4th Mechanized Division and Republican Guard forces.

Syrian army soldiers and fighters from popular defense groups are now working to cut off supply routes to the US backed rebels in southern part of Dara'a.

Syria's southwest is strategically sensitive because of its proximity to the frontiers with both Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The recapture of Dara'a is highly important because it borders the occupied Golan Heights which Israel has used to treat wounded militants for years.

The territory's return to the Syrian government control would cut the much-reported collaboration between Israel and militants and deal a blow to Tel Aviv's plans to annex the Golan Heights.

Russia's Reconciliation Centre announced a 12-hour ceasefire for Dara'a to allow negotiations on the possible surrender of southern rebels to take place.

The truce began at midnight Friday with bombing likely to resume at noon if rebels don't agree to surrender.

According to al-Masdar news site the rebels contacted the Russian-run Reconciliation Center to propose the truce and revealed details of Moscow's demands to the southern opposition. 

This included the surrender of the province to the Syrian army and hand over heavy and medium weaponry with fighters joining local police units if they want to remain in Daraa.

Those who didn't would have to join the other fighters who have left opposition areas for rebel-held Idlib province.

This echoed similar so-called "evacuation deals" brokered by Russia and rebels in Eastern Ghouta and other areas, when rebels were sent to opposition areas in the north of Syria.

Dara'a is one of the last opposition strongholds in the country outside government controll.

Dara'a was covered by a US-Russia-Jordan brokered ceasefire, until the Syrian army launched the assault on Daraa and Suweida.

SURRENDER

The media bureau of Syria's Operations Command announced in a statement released on Friday that militants in the towns of Abta'a, Da'el - located approximately 14 kilometers north of the provincial capital city of Dara'a - and Tafas have disarmed.

The statement added that extremists in the towns of al-Taybeh, Saida and Umm al-Mayazen have expressed readiness to surrender.