Aleppo: Harakat Hazzm Threatens to Withdraw from Handarat Camp; SAA Eyes Regiment 46 Base

The Syrian rebel group “Harakat Hazzm” (Movement of Steadfastness) has threatened the Syrian Al-Qaeda branch “Jabhat Al-Nusra” (Al-Nusra Front) with their complete withdrawal from the Handarat Refugee Camp in northern Aleppo if they did not halt their aggression towards the former.

For the first time since late Fall 2012, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) – in cooperation with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – has made rapid advances at the poultry farms in southwest Aleppo, where they look to retake Regiment 46 Base (formerly) from the militants of the Islamic Front (Jabhat Al-Islamiyya) and Free Syrian Army (FSA).

Fierce clashes continued at the besieged town of Bashkoy, as Jabhat Al-Nusra continued their attempt to recapture the village from the NDF’s possession.

During the clashes in northern Aleppo on Thursday, the Jabhat Al-Nusra field commander “Abu Bakr Al-Shakissi” was killed by the NDF at the axis between the towns of Bashkoy and Rityan.

According to a military source in Aleppo, the SAA repelled a Jabhat Al-Nusra infiltration attempt into Bab Al-Nayrab near Qabr Engleezi (the English Grave), killing 9 enemy combatants in the process.

Jabhat Al-Nusra launched another offensive at the Al-Zahra Association Quarter in west Aleppo; however, their attack did not get far, as the SAA was able to forestall their progress near the Great Prophet Mosque that is located west of the Air Force Intelligence building.