It will be called the great betrayal. And it was a long time coming. But the grim message from Washington to the anti-Assad fighters of southern Syria – that they could expect no help from the West in their further struggle against Assad’s regime or the Russians – will one day figure in the history books. It’s a turning point in the Syria war, a shameful betrayal if you happen to belong to the wreckage of the “Free Syrian Army” and its acolytes around the city of Deraa, and a further victory for the Assad regime in its ambition to retake all of rebel Syria.

Already Russian missiles and Syrian bombs are embracing the countryside south and east of Deraa and outside Quneitra and Sweida after the opposition fighters refused a negotiated peace last week. Refugees are again fleeing the towns. But the words of the American message to the fighters, seen by Reuters and so far not denied by the US, are both bleak and hopeless: “You should not base your decisions on the assumption or expectation of a military intervention by us … We in the United States government understand the difficult conditions you are facing and still advise the Russians and the Syrian regime not to undertake a military measure that violates the [de-escalation] zone.”

When Washington “understands the difficult conditions” its militia allies are facing and says it “advises” the Russians and Syrians not to violate a ceasefire – which was Moscow’s idea in the first place – you know that the Americans are pulling the carpet from beneath another set of allies.

Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Show all 20 1 /20 Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps This young child hides under the cover of endless white nylon tent sheeting from new visitors entering the camp. The hesitancy to engage soon passes and curiosity follows as he is interested to discover more about Muslim Aid. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps In Enmaa camp, Wardi takes a neighbour’s child onto her knee. She has 4 children of her own; they left Homs in 2013 after heavy bombardments and a lack of food. They travelled for 4 days to reach the border. Years on they still suffer acute hunger at times. Muslim Aid Food voucher scheme is literally sustaining and changing lives in these camps. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Taima, (Enmaa camp Lebanon) picks the very few flowers with her friends off the perimeter of the camp floor and hands them to a member of the Muslim Aid team. These acts of kindness are so incredibly powerful to see. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Zaynab currently lives in Suleyman camp in Mohamra, Lebanon in a small tent housing 15 people in two rooms. Zaynab fled Syria in 2013 and travelled through fields and mountains to reach the Lebanese border, traumatised by the fear of planes, bombs and grenades. The family are currently in great need of food and gas. Bread has become very expensive and inaffordable. In her tent was a basket of bread that was stale and mouldy. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Sumayya, Murfat’s youngest sister, peers out from their tent. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps A father attempts to create some normality by teaching his youngest son how to ride his first bike in between the network of tents and alleyways in the camp. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Malik 8 and Hazayfa 5 at Suleyman camp are amongst those fortunate to benefit from schools nearby offering classes after normal hours. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Mothers and wives are left to spend their days in the camps with memories of losing husbands fathers and sons causing in Syria and during their journey to the safety of neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps It is truly amazing the defiance and resilience these children to show that they refuse to give up smiling regardless of how terrible their journey was that brought them to Enmaa camp. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Suleyman camp, Lebanon - many people have medical issues and can’t afford treatment, so cash is desperately needed to provide this support. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Murfat 3, lives with her mother and sister in a shelter provided. Their clothes, damp from the morning showers, left to dry in the porch of the tent by the air which is warm and thick with flies. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Mohammed, 2, Suleyman camp, Lebanon. There are 250,000 Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon alone. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Al Inmar camp, Lebanon. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Malaak, 11, in Suleyman camp, Lebanon. Here children are living in tents which leak in the rain and are too flimsy to shield them from the cold in winter. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps 16 yr old Homam in front of his mobile phone repair business as a result of micro-finance loan from Muslim Aid. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps A young girl looks out across the geography of Enmaa Camp and beyond to the horizon of the coastline. The 250 tents have been squeezed onto a small plot of land amongst a smart residential neighbourhood and acres of poly tunnels growing fruit and vegetables. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Hayaan, just 3 year-old, in Suleyman camp, Lebanon, makes the sign for victory or peace. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps White chalked lines replaced by empty oil drums fashioned into makeshift rubbish bins mark out the perimeter of the pitch. Hamaad, 8 years-old, likes to play football in the wasteland around the tents. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Many of Sulayman’s residents had previously been surviving on donated bags of mouldy bread and some even fasting voluntarily long before the start of Ramadan. Paddy Dowling Syrian families waiting in the shadows of Lebanon's refugee camps Sumaha, 10 years-old (Suleyman camp in Lebanon), talks to us with her friends before they leave the camp to attend a class at a nearby school. Photos Paddy Dowling

But the US also realises that its millions of dollars worth of training and weapons have been passed on to al-Nusra – aka al-Qaeda of 9/11 infamy – and that the Nusra front holds villages and positions within the area outside Deraa nominally held by those well-known “moderates” of the FSA (whose mythical strength, you may remember, was once put at 70,000 by one David Cameron).

Neither the Hezbollah nor the comparatively fewer Iranian Revolutionary Guards appear to be involved in the battle for southern Syria; and be assured that the Americans and the Russians – and thus the Syrian government – have agreed that this should be a Russo-Syrian offensive. Both Vladimir Putin and whoever thinks they speak for Donald Trump will have assured the Israelis that this will be an internal battle and will not endanger the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The so-called Military Operations Centre in Amman – its acronym “MOC” almost sums up its ambitions – is supposed to arm and finance the group of militias still fighting in north of the Jordanian border. But no more, it seems.

The Israelis have hitherto attacked Syrian and Iranian targets in Syria – but never the cult-Islamist Isis executioners nor Nusra/al-Qaeda. US policy, despairing of ever “collapsing” Assad, now appears to have given up on the armed opposition to the Damascus government, presumably advising Israel that a return to the status quo on Golan which existed before the Syrian war – where Israeli and Syrian forces were separated by a UN buffer zone – is preferable to risking a shootout with Iran or, indeed, with the Syrian army.

Syrian military video shows air defences trying to intercept Israeli missiles

The MOC, according to a former opposition fighter in Damascus, chose to control all rebel activities – in theory, the “FSA” – and specifically refused help four years ago when fighters in the capital sought mortars and artillery to assault the presidential palace. The MOC officers – a British major and a Saudi officer, according to the source – offered only a resupply of small arms. But this was only a warning of things to come. The Kurds have since learned what this means in the north of Syria.

They, of course, have twice supped from the vile chalice of betrayal. Kissinger served it up to them when he made peace between Saddam Hussein and the Shah of Iran in 1975, cutting off a $16m (£12m) CIA operation to help the Kurds assault the Iraqi dictator. Then the Americans watched Saddam destroy the Kurds in 1991 after telling them to rise up against the Baghdad regime following the liberation of Kuwait.

Syria fears that the Israelis will now create their own “buffer zone” below Golan, similar in style, weaponry and ruthlessness to Israel’s former occupation zone in southern Lebanon. This lasted for 22 years, but fell to pieces when Israel’s local Lebanese militia, the South Lebanon Army – as inefficient, untrustworthy and occasionally as fictitious as the “Free Syrian Army” – retreated along with the Israelis in 2000.