Syrian sources said that Lebanon's Hezbollah party is inciting tension between the provinces of Suwayda and Daraa by providing arms to the Iranian-backed National Defense Forces (NDF) to confront the 5th Corps, supported by Russia.
Hezbollah was active in recent weeks in southwest Syrian where factions who have different affiliations are clashing, the Suwayda 24 news website reported citing exclusive sources.
“Hezbollah has been providing logistical support to the NDF, which subsequently deployed armed members in Al-Qariya, strengthening its positions with mortars.”
The NDF had been deployed in most areas of the Suwayda since 2013. Following tension with the 5th Corps, the forces also bolstered their positions around Qariya.
Last week, pro-Syrian regime forces and Russian-backed factions sent large military reinforcements to the area after fierce clashes erupted between the two sides.
The clashes killed 15 young men and wounded more than 50 after the 5th Corps tried to enter agricultural lands in Qariya,
For his part, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif urged Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in a phone call to intervene and end the clashes.
Earlier, in the period between April and June, several negotiations took place among notables from the Druze-majority in Suwayda on one side and their counterparts from Daraa on the other side to contain tensions between Basra Al-Sham and Qariya.
