Syrian regime drop napalm-filled barrel bomb on residential areas of Daraa

Syrian regime aircraft dropped napalm on Daraa this week, with huge fires consuming large parts of the densely-packed southern city.

Daraa city and the surrounding countryside have been subject to huge bombardment from regime rockets and barrel bombs over the past week as pro-Damascus militias launch an offensive to take the opposition-held area.

Among the weapons fired on the heavily-populated residential areas include 20 barrel bombs filled with internationally-banned napalm, an incendiary that covers huge areas with burning liquid.

Barrel bombs, surface-to-surface missiles, and shells have also been directed on areas of Daraa including refugee camps.

Daraa council issued a statement saying that all the city's hospitals had been targeted by the regime.

The Syrian Coalition condemned the assault and urged international powers to take action and stop the bombardment.

The Syrian regime has dropped more than 300 barrel bombs and fired 350 surface-to-surface missiles on Daraa since the assault on the southern city began a week ago. 

— Vero Ger (@GerV29) June 13, 2017 " style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post #Act4Daraa #Syria Brutal shelling waged by Assad's military forces on the neighborhoods of the city of #Daraa. pic.twitter.com/0KdXb7UeOo — Vero Ger (@GerV29) June 13, 2017

On the ground a coalition of Iranian-backed pro-regime militias have also made advances into the opposition areas of the southern city, which is officially covered by a ceasefire.

Activists have launched the #Act4Daraa hashtag to highlight the cause and say 70,000 civilian lives are in peril.

They also say that the assault puts a fragile, nascent peace process at threat, and could spark wider outbreaks of violence.

Activists fear that rebel-held Idlib province could be the next target of the regime, with flyers dropped on the area by Syrian regime planes warning them to surrender or face "annihilation".

Daraa was one of the first areas in Syria to rise up against the Assad regime following the torture and murder of 13-year-old boy Hamza al-Khatib in 2011.

The province is part of the Russian-Turkish-Iranian sponsored "de-escalation zones", which envisages large areas of Syria enjoying peace while a peace process between warring factions is also initiated.