Damascus, Dec 6 (IANS): Heavy clashes broke out Friday in parts of Syria's southern Daraa province as local factions seized multiple government-held positions. Meanwhile, in central Homs province, the Syrian army asserted that its defenses remain solid despite opposition claims of troop withdrawals.

Pro-government Sham FM radio said clashes erupted in eastern rural Daraa and near the Nassib border crossing with Jordan, though the militants had not entered the compound itself.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that factions in western Daraa took over several government sites in the city of Nawa, including the local security branches. At least one civilian was killed, and government soldiers stationed in the targeted buildings were reportedly captured.

In response, government forces shelled residential areas from their nearby positions, triggering panic among civilians, according to the Observatory, Xinhua news agency reported.

Elsewhere in Daraa, the Observatory noted that the factions gained control of additional checkpoints, forcing army units to reposition. There are also unverified reports of government forces withdrawing some of their checkpoints in the region.

Meanwhile, in Homs province, Sham FM reported that fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered areas of the northern countryside, including the city of Al-Rastan and the town of Talbisa. No clashes were reported during these incursions, it noted.

Despite opposition claims of an army withdrawal from Homs, a Syrian military statement denied such movements, affirming that troops remain deployed along "solid defensive lines" and have received reinforcements.

The latest developments in Daraa and Homs reflect a rapidly evolving situation, with local factions and militant groups taking advantage of emerging vulnerabilities.

A day earlier, the HTS and allied militant groups captured the city of Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city after capturing Aleppo and all of Idlib provinces in northern Syria.