Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Destroys Terrorists’ Defense Lines in Aleppo Province

The army units backed by the popular forces inflicted heavy losses on the militants in Aleppo province, killing scores of militants and injuring many more in heavy clashes.

The Syrian army and popular forces also hit hard the military positions of the terrorists in other key provinces across Syria.

Aleppo

The Syrian Army troops continued to storm ISIL’s defense lines in Eastern and Southeastern Aleppo and managed to advance towards Ithriya region in Northeastern Hama to reinvigorate Aleppo province’s security.

The army soldiers started battles against ISIL in areas near the villages of Bu Qazal and Anizeh South of the recently-liberated town of Maskana in Eastern Aleppo and managed to drive ISIL out of the region.

A military source said that the army intends to restore full security to Aleppo, adding that in line with the strategy the army troops advanced against ISIL 10km Southwest of Maskana towards Ithriya region.

Field sources, meantime, reported that the Syrian and Russian fighter jets carried out joint raids on ISIL positions in Northern Hama, killing and wounding a number of terrorists.

Also, the Syrian army aircraft targeted ISIL’s gatherings and movements along the oil pipeline and Abu Habilat region in Eastern Hama.

Homs

The Syrian Army troops along with Hezbollah forces and Russian Marines started a large-scale anti-ISIL military operation in Eastern Homs province to recapture the energy-rich town of Arak in the Eastern countryside of the ancient city Palmyra (Tadmur).

The Syrian army men, Russian marines and popular forces, backed up by the Russian and Syrian fighter jets, stormed ISIL’s strongholds in areas surrounding Arak at the beginning of their joint operation.

The Syrian and Russian warplanes pounded ISIL’s supply lines to Arak and al-Sukhnah towns, destroying their military vehicles and killing a number of them.

A military source said that the pro-government forces managed to drive ISIL out of several strategic positions around Arak and fortify the newly-freed positions.

“Given the continued air attacks on ISIL’s supply lines in the region and rapid advances of the government force, the key town will be soon freed,” he added.

Reports said earlier today that the army troops continued to hit ISIL’s defense lines in Eastern Homs and managed to deploy only 3km away from Arak energy field after hours of non-stop clashes.

The army troops engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Eastern Badiyeh (desert) and recaptured more positions overlooking Arak energy field.

A military source, meantime, said that the army men are now only 3km away from the center of Arak energy field.

In the meantime, the army forces engaged in clashes with ISIL along the road connecting Palmyra city to the town of al-Sukhnah, while the Syrian Air Force pounded ISIL’s positions and movements in areas surrounding al-Sawameha and Huweisis regions and in al-Sukhnah.

Dara’a

A bloody battle erupted in the Southern province of Dara’a after allied groups of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) opened fire on each other amid fears of defection to the ISIL terrorist group, field reports said.

The reports said that heavy clashes erupted between the militants of Shabab al-Sunna branch of the Free Syrian Army and FSA’s Jeish al-Yarmouk in the town of Ma’arabeh in Eastern Dara’a.

The infighting started between the rival terrorists after a checkpoint operating under Jeish al-Yarmouk did not allow the supporting forces of Shabab al-Sunna to move towards the customs house of the town of Nasib.

The supporting forces of Shabab al-Sunna intended to move to Nasib customs house to back up their comrades in Shabab al-Sunna that were involved in clashes with FSA’s Houran Falujeh Division.

According to reports, hundreds of militants have defected to the ISIL over the past year, increasing tensions among FSA factions.

Deir Ezzur

The Syrian Army soldiers, supported by the country’s Air Force, engaged in heavy fighting with ISIL and managed to repel their attack in the Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur city, killing and wounding a large number of terrorists.

The army men engaged in heavy fighting with ISIL that attacked their positions in Tamin brigade base in the Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur city and repelled their offensive.

In the meantime, the army’s artillery and missile units opened heavy fires at ISIL’s concentration centers and movements in the power company, near the Tamin brigade bae, al-Makbat region, cement-block making company, Jonayd division base, the neighborhoods of al-Omal, oil airport, Panorama base, near Deir Ezzur airbase and in the village of al-Baqaliyeh.

Also, the Syrian fighter jets bombed heavily ISIL’s positions in Panorama school, the surroundings of Panorama base, Panorama square, Tamin brigade baes, Jonayd division base and airbase.

A military source confirmed that a large number of ISIL were killed and wounded and an armored vehicle of ISIL was destroyed in the attacks.

Raqqa

The predominately Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued their anti-ISIL operation in Raqqa codenamed the Euphrates Rage and managed to drive terrorists out of another key neighborhood in Raqqa city.

The SDF that had pushed ISIL back from the neighborhoods of al-Mashlab al-Sharqi and al-Sabahiyeh in the Western part of Raqqa city engaged in fresh round of clashes with ISIL in al-Roumaniyeh neighborhood and managed to take control over it after killing and wounding tens of terrorists, including a field commander.

A local source reported, meantime, that fierce clashes are now underway between the Kurdish fighters and ISIL in the neighborhoods of al-Sina’ah and Hattin in Raqqa city, leaving 23 ISIL members dead.

Damascus

A senior Saudi commander of the Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) was gunned down by unknown attackers in Western Damascus on Monday.

Local sources said that Abu al-Ma’amoun, a Saudi field commander of the Al-Nusra in Moqr al-Mir region was killed by the gun fire of unknown attackers.

The sources added that the Syrian Air Force bombed Al-Nusra Front’s position in the region simultaneous with the attack on the terrorist group’s commander.

Local sources said earlier this month that ISIL and Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board) engaged in fierce clashes in the Yarmouk Palestinian Refugee Camp, leaving a number of militants dead and several more wounded.

The sources said that a number of ISIL terrorists were killed in a fresh round of clashes with the rival group of Tahrir al-Sham rival in Abi Hashish square in Yarmouk camp.

The sources also said that Jeish al-Islam set fire at the crops of villagers in al-Ash’ari farms in Eastern Ghouta.

Also, a number of terrorists left the Yarmouk Camp in line with an agreement between the Syrian army and the militants stationed in the region.

Based on the agreement between the army and the militants in the four towns of Fua’a, Kafraya, al-Zabadani and Madhaya, 4 patients along with 12 of their family members were allowed by the terrorists to leave Fua’a and Kafraya in Northern Idlib for Aleppo.

Also, the same number of militants withdrew from Yarmouk Refugee Camp and left for Idlib.

Hama

Military sources in Eastern Hama confirmed that the Syrian Army has dispatched hundreds of fresh forces and over a hundred military vehicles to intensify anti-ISIL operation in the province.

The sources said that simultaneous with heavy attacks of the army’s artillery and missile units and the Syrian and Russian fighter jets air raids on ISIL’s defense lines in Hama, a long convoy of army vehicles with hundreds of reinforcements has arrived in the province.

The sources further said that the Syrian and Russian forces have advanced significantly against terrorists in recent days and pushed them back from several strategic positons.

The Syrian and Russian forces, backed by the two countries’ warplanes, started a new phase of military operations to expel the ISIL from Eastern Hama in a bid to secure the strategic city of al-Salamiyah.

Based on reports, the Russian Special Forces, backed by Moscow Air Force, also participated in the military operations in Eastern Hama.

A military source underlined the army’s advance in the region, and said the operations will continue in Aqayrabat region as well.

Aqayrabat region includes tens of villages and towns that is ISIL’s main base in the province and is used by the terrorists to attack the army positions in al-Salamiyah.

According to earlier reports, the fresh troops of the Syrian army along with the Russian marines were dispatched to Eastern Hama for this large-scale operation.

Days ago, the Syrian army dispatched a large number of fresh forces to Hama as Damascus troops started a new phase of military operation to drive ISIL out of the province.

Hundreds of fresh forces arrived in Eastern Hama to help the Syrian army in its anti-ISIL campaign, as pro-government forces started an offensive to liberate Aqayrabat town, the main bastion of the Takfiri terrorists in the region.