Above photo: A mass funeral for the martyrs of the Israeli aggression in the countryside of Daraa, Syria on April 3, 2025. X/@HussamHamoud.
On the evening of April 2, Daraa province witnessed a violent clash between Syrian armed factions and Israeli occupation forces south of Nawa city, marking the second confrontation of its kind in recent weeks. The clash erupted after Israeli forces attempted to advance into the forested area between Taseel and Al-Jubaylah, coinciding with a Syrian security operation near the Taseel Dam aimed at recovering the body of a drowned child. A tribal source suggested to Al-Akhbar that the Israeli incursion was linked to broader efforts to control regional water resources, coming just two days after “Israel” declared Al-Mantra dam, Southern Syria’s largest dam, a restricted military zone. This incursion alarmed local armed groups, prompting them to engage in combat with Israeli forces to prevent further penetration into villages along the lake’s shores.
A medical source at Nawa Hospital confirmed that all 23 wounded fighters and the nine killed were among those who mobilized spontaneously to repel the incursion. No civilian casualties were reported, as the clashes took place in uninhabited areas near Taseel and Tal Al-Jumu. The resistance involved groups that previously refused to disarm or integrate into Syrian government forces, responding spontaneously to calls for general mobilization. However, the lack of coordination among these groups led to confusion and significant casualties. The fighting concentrated in the national reserve area known locally as Tasee forest, where heavy machine guns were used.
A participant in the battle revealed to Al-Akhbar that Israeli forces employed intense firepower, including helicopters, drones, and artillery, to counter the armed resistance. This bombardment played a crucial role in preventing the capture of around 20 Israeli soldiers who had become surrounded by resistance fighters. Due to relentless airstrikes and the disorganized response, the siege was broken, allowing Israeli forces to withdraw. The source added that Israeli helicopters landed near the reserve’s entrance to evacuate soldiers before their full retreat to Tal Ahmar Gharbi, indicating Israeli casualties despite no official acknowledgment.
Thousands of Syrians subsequently gathered in Nawa to mourn the nine martyrs killed in the clashes, chanting slogans honoring their sacrifice. Meanwhile, sources revealed to Al-Akhbar that the Syrian Ministry of Information, through its Press Affairs Office, directed media outlets not to describe the confrontation as an organized military response. Instead, media were instructed to present the events as “a popular situation and a response to calls for general mobilization issued by the mosques of the city and surrounding villages.” The goal was to avoid provoking Tel Aviv or providing justification for further Israeli operations inside Syria under the pretext of fighting jihadist groups.
Despite these efforts, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee publicly commented on the clashes, stating Israeli forces from the 474th Brigade had “confiscated weapons and destroyed terrorist infrastructure” in Taseel. He further claimed that militants fired upon Israeli troops, prompting them to “respond with ground and air strikes, eliminating several fighters.”