It was led by the Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army[13] and also included the Army of Conquest "southern sector",[14] of which the Al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham are part of,[15] against Syrian government forces defending Daraa city and the surrounding towns.

[17] The offensive, which was planned by the Free Syrian Army[17] and involved a new "higher central operations room",[14] began with the FSA and other rebel groups (54 in total) storming Dara’a Al-Balad District and the Al-Manasheer District of Daraa city in the early morning.

[22] However, two days later, although pro-government Al-Masdar News acknowledged that the rebels achieved some success at the town of ‘Itman, north of the city, and inside the Industrial District, it stated that many of these gains had been reversed.

[8] That government troops managed to repel the major rebel assault on the provincial capital stood in stark contrast to a string of setbacks they had suffered in previous months.

[5] On 13 August, the rebels took Tal Za'tar hill, near the western suburbs of the city, but it was reportedly recaptured by the Army the next day.