Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Advances to Gates of Strategic Region in Hama

The Damascus Army continued its military operations in Northwestern Hama over the past 24 hours, regaining control of new areas and advancing to the gates of the strategic Jabal al-Zawiyeh region. The Syrian army units continued battle against the terrorists in Northwestern Hama on Thursday after retaking control of the town of al-Hawiz and capturing the villages of Hawiz Foqani, Hawiz Tahtani and Hawiz Horiya. Meanwhile, a field source said that the Syrian army has advanced to the entrance of the strategic region of Jabal al-Zawiyeh in Western Hama. In the meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in other parts of Syria over past 24 hours. Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army's operations in provinces across Syria. Hama The Syrian army continued military operations in Northwestern Hama, regaining control of new areas and advancing to the gates of the strategic Jabal al-Zawiyeh region. The Syrian army units continued battle against the terrorists in Northwestern Hama on Thursday after retaking control of the town of al-Hawiz and capturing the villages of Hawiz Foqani, Hawiz Tahtani and Hawiz Horiya. Meantime, a field source said that the Syrian army has advanced to the entrance of the strategic region of Jabal al-Zawiyeh in Western Hama. He added that the town of al-Hawiz is a point which links Qalat al-Maziq to Sahl al-Ghab, noting that now security will prevail in a large number of adjacent towns and villages, including al-Rasif which had been targeted by the toxic gasses used by the terrorists against the population. The source said that the Syrian army is attempting to advance in Northeastern Lattakia towards al-Sarmaniyeh and Jisr al-Shaqour to fully surround Jabal al-Zawiyeh. In a relevant development earlier on Thursday, the Syrian army regained control of the town of al-Hawiz in Northern Hama despite Ankara's military support for the militants. The Syrian army forces, supported by heavy artillery fire, engaged in fierce clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists in the Northern parts of al-Sharia airport in Western Hama on Thursday, taking back control of the town of al-Hawiz, one of the most important strongholds of militants in the region. Meantime, the Syrian army's artillery and air force units pounded the terrorists' moves and positions in al-Latamineh, Kafr Zita, al-Hawijeh, Jisr Beit al-Ra'as, Jisr al-Shaqour, al-Amiqeh, Ba'arbou, Shahshabou, Haish and Khan Sheikhoun in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, killing tens of terrorists. Also, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted a source close to the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) as saying that Ankara has in the past few days sent a large number of weapons and military equipment, including the US-made anti-tank TOW missiles, to the National Liberation Front and Faylaq al-Sham militants in Idlib through its military officers patrolling in the region. Hasaka A number of civilians were killed and wounded in a refugee camp in Hasaka amid heightened tensions between people and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Eastern Euphrates. Local sources in Hasaka province reported on Thursday that the residents of al-Arisheh camp in Southern Hasaka held rallies against the SDF actions and the grave humanitarian conditions in the camp. They added that the SDF fighters fired at them to suppress the popular uprising, killing 3 civilians, including a child, and severely injuring over 4 others. The sources said that tensions have increased in the camp and adjacent villages between civilians and the US-backed forces, adding that a large number of SDF militants have been deployed in these regions and have closed the entrances of the town of al-Shadadi to prevent the spread of people's protest rallies. The SDF's bad behavior and crimes against civilians in Deir Ezzur and Hasaka have fomented tensions in the two provinces in recent months. Aleppo The Syrian army is planning for purging operations against the terrorists in the occupied regions of Western Aleppo as militants continue daily attacks on civilian areas in the region, the Arabic-language media said. The Arabic-language al-Masdar news website quoted a military source in the Syrian army as saying that the army wants to launch military operations against the terrorist groups in Northwestern, Western and Southwestern Aleppo. He added that in particular, the Syrian army is first eyeing the Scientific Research area and Al-Zahra’a Association Quarter; these two areas have a large presence of terrorists and Turkish-backed militants. Once these areas are cleared, the Syrian army will shift their attention to the outskirts of the city, where militant groups in Al-Mansoura, Kafr Hamra, Dart Izza, Khan Al-Assal, and Rashideen 4 and 5 are constantly launching attacks from, the source said. Al-Watan also referred to the daily attacks by the terrorists in Western Aleppo on safe areas of Aleppo, specially al-Zahra, al-Sabil, al-Hamdaniyeh, new Aleppo and Share'e Tishrin regions, stressing that residents of these regions have called for army operations and establishment of security. According to the report, the Syrian air force destroyed the terrorists' positions in Ikarda and first Mohandeseen regions in Southwestern Aleppo and one of their convoys moving on Aleppo-Saraqib road towards the regions of conflict in Southern Idlib and Northern Hama.