DAMASCUS, Syria — The Syrian regime and its allies have taken control over the entire area between the cities of Moadamiyet al-Sham and Daraya in Rif Dimashq governorate, following an extensive military campaign and heavy aerial bombardment that began in December 2015. The campaign aims to isolate the city of Daraya, which has already been besieged for three years, cutting off the only humanitarian supply line and weakening the opposition and civilians in preparation to storm the city.

However, on Feb. 9, the regime’s first attempt to breach the city failed. The effort was renewed on Feb. 12 from the northwest, near Moadamiyet al-Sham, accompanied by clashes between the regime forces and opposition fighters involving ground-to-ground missiles and 56 barrel bombs.

The city of Daraya is located just southwest of Damascus and borders the Mezze neighborhood, where the presidential palace is located, to the north. It overlooks the Mezze military airport to the northwest and the Damascus-Daraa highway to the east. Daraya is one of the largest cities in eastern Ghouta and was among the first cities to witness peaceful demonstrations demanding the toppling of the Syrian regime in 2011.

The city has suffered from power, water, heating and communications outages since it has been besieged by the regime forces in 2012. The citizens have been burning furniture to keep warm and plastic to extract fuel to run power generators and water pumps so they can grow and cultivate crops for food.