According to reports, the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th, 5th, and 7th divisions have cordoned off Tafas, despite protests from the residents inside the town.
The reports say the militants inside of Tafas have refused to surrender their weapons and will not agree to leave the town under a deal to transfer them to either rural Idlib or Aleppo.
The Syrian Army was previously supposed to launch an operation in Tafas, but delayed the attack to allow the Russian military to continue mediation efforts.
While opposition media alleges the Russian military is upset with the Syrian security forces, a source from the army says the situation is the opposite.
According to the source, the Russian military police are frustrated with the constant attacks carried out by groups that agreed to a peace deal in 2018.
He would add that there have been strenuous efforts to get the reconciled rebels to handover the militants behind the upheaval in the Daraa Governorate.