Syria: Gov’t Forces Complete Control over Another Key District West of Aleppo City

Syrian government forces inflicted major casualties on the terrorists of Jeish al-Fatah and drove them out of the remaining militant-held parts of Zahiyeh al-Assad district.

The victory came after the terrorists used a humanitarian pause two weeks ago to lift the siege on the militants trapped in Eastern districts of Aleppo.

The terrorists stormed army positions from the Western part of the city, but failed to make a breakthrough, although they could temporarily occupy parts of Zahiyeh al-Assad and 3,000-units Housing Complex.

Several days before the terrorists’ operation, the Russian Defense Ministry had announced that over 30,000 terrorists would partake in the removal of the army’s siege on Aleppo.

The Russian ministry said at the time that over 50 suicide attackers had announced readiness to hit the army’s defense lines in Western Aleppo.

On Tuesday, Syrian Army soldiers and popular forces started a joint operation against Jeish al-Fatah’s positions to stretch the ring of security in the Western neighborhoods of Aleppo city.

“Pro-government forces engaged in fierce clashes with the militants in Housing Project 1070 in Southwestern Aleppo, taking control of at least 15 building blocks and killing and wounding a number of militants,” the sources said, adding, “Also, a number of Turkistani terrorists have been trapped in the circle of the army soldiers in the Housing Project 1070.”

The Arabic al-Watan daily reported that army men and popular forces, backed up by Syrian warplanes, have started an operation to strengthen security in the Western part of Aleppo city, “and after liberation of Tal (Hill) al-Rakham and Tal Mo’ata on the Western side of Aleppo Military Academy Buildings, the rest of the Housing Project 1070 and al-Hikmah School have militarily fallen into the hands of government forces”.

“Over 15 militants have thus far been killed and 30 more have been wounded in army operation in Western Aleppo,” al-Watan added.

After taking control over the Housing Project 1070 and al-Hikmah School, the army is expected to attack militants’ centers in the neighborhoods of al-Rashedeen 4 and 5 that are the terrorists’ entrance gates to the district of al-Hamdaniyeh.

In relevant developments in the province on Thursday, the Syrian army and popular forces’ continued operations in the Southwestern parts of Aleppo led to their further advance in the strategic al-Rashedeen region.

“The army extended its control over the Southwestern parts of Aleppo after retaking Housing Project 1070 and al-Hikmah School and reached the gates of al-Rashedeen region,” a military source said on Thursday.

Based on the latest reports, heavy clashes are underway between the Syrian troops and the terrorists in al-Rashedeen.

Meantime, the Syrian soldiers and their allies could fully purge the terrorists of al-Hikmah region.

Terrorists had earlier dug several tunnels among the buildings located in Housing Project 1070 and planted bombs in many of them and at present, the army’s engineering units are demining the region and defusing the bombs, the military source said.

2wAccording to the source, concurrent with the Syrian army’s advance, the militants’ defense lines have collapsed in the Western front.