Military Official: Syrian Gov’t Troops Close to Entering Raqqa City Countryside

“The Syrian government forces have taken control over the mountains in the Western part of Raqqa province and are now very close to pave their way into the Raqqa city countryside,” a Syrian army general revealed on Monday.

The Syrian general said that the government troops have blocked the supply lines between Southwestern Raqqa and the ISIL-controlled areas in the Eastern and Southeastern parts of Aleppo province.

He said that the primary goal of the Syrian army’s advances is to establish control over Sabkheh al-Jaboul in Southeastern Aleppo to cut the supply routes from Tabaqeh in Raqqa countryside to the Eastern parts of Aleppo province.

“The Syrian army’s control over Sabkheh al-Jaboul region will be a prelude to a new operation towards the city of Maskaneh which is one of the three remaining ISIL bases in Aleppo province,” the Syrian general added.

He went on to say that the Maskaneh operations is expected to happen with the intensification of the military operation against the ISIL near the town of al-Bab, specially because the Syrian army has recaptured several ISIL-controlled regions in near Al-Bab.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, a field source disclosed minutes ago that a large column of Syrian army soldiers and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters has arrived in Southeastern Aleppo to take part in an imminent large-scale operation in the region and further move towards Raqqa.

The source said that a long military convoy of army men and Hezbollah fighters has arrived in Southeastern Aleppo to join their comrades to start an imminent operation against ISIL near Aleppo’s borders with Raqqa province.

The source added that the government forces’ first phase of operation will cover Khanasser towards Maskana region, Deir Hafer and al-Bab to open a Western front on Raqqa province.

Reports said earlier on Sunday that the army troops continued their advances against ISIL in Northern Aleppo and managed to take control over a key village after hours of non-stop clashes.

The army soldiers broke through ISIL’s positions in the village of Sawran to the East of the town of Azaz and entered the village, inflicting several casualties on the terrorists.

The army’s heavy attacks forced ISIL to pull back its forces from the battlefield.

The army further captured the village after ISIL’s retreat.

A military source said that the main objective of the army men after liberation of Sawran will be the villages of Sarjeh and Maran.

The source added that if the army can tack back the villages of Sarjeh and Maran the government forces will lay siege on the village of Aran to the South of al-Bab town.