4th Mechanized Division and Hezbollah Capture Over 45km of Territory in Southern Aleppo

The Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Mechanized Division – in coordination with Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi Paramilitary), the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Aleppo City, and Kataebat Al-Ba’ath (Al-Ba’ath Battalions) – have advanced deep into the heart of the Aleppo Governorate’s southern countryside after spending 10 days combatting the Islamist rebel forces from the Free Syrian Army, Harakat Nour Al-Deen Al-Zinki, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, and Liwaa Suqour Al-Sham.

On Saturday morning, the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance continued where they left off on Friday night, attacking the Islamist rebels of Harakat Nour Al-Deen Al-Zinki, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, and Liwaa Suqour Al-Sham at Kafr ‘Abid, Al-‘Amariyah, and Al-Shughaydilah; however, the aforementioned Islamist factions were not willing to concede these towns with little resistance.

Instead, the two opposing sides engaged in a series of intense firefights on Saturday that involved far more bloodshed than map changes, as the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance attempted to advance their positions amid a flurry of bullets from the Islamist rebels protecting Al-‘Amariyah, Kafr ‘Abid, and Al-Shughaydilah.

According to a military source inside the provincial capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance have Al-‘Amariyah under their fire control, while they failed to advance inside the towns of Al-Shughaydilah and Kafr ‘Abid; this is likely due to the absence of the Russian Air Force from this front on Saturday.

Despite little advances at Al-Shughaydilah and Kafr ‘Abid, the success at Al-‘Amariyah has allowed the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance increase their territorial gains in southern Aleppo to over 45km in just 10 days; this marks the largest series of gains for the Syrian Armed Forces/Hezbollah since their 60 day long Al-Zabadani offensive.