The rebels are battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces from two directions; the north and the south, in an attempt to close in on Damascus. Daraa is where the Syrian uprising started in 2011.
Meanwhile, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Sunday said UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar Assad and emphasised the UAE's solidarity with Syria and its support in combating terrorism and extremism.