Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Repels Attacks on Gov’t Positions in Eastern Ghouta

The Jeish al-Islam terrorists’ attacks to capture the government forces’ positions in the Western parts of the town of al-Reihan in Eastern Ghouta in Damascus countryside were fended off by the strong defense of the Syrian military men.

Meantime, the Syrian army and popular forces continued their military advances in other parts of Syria, including Homs and Idlib, over the past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army’s operations in Syria’s key provinces.

Damascus

The Syrian forces and their allies repulsed Jeish al-Islam terrorists’ heavy offensive against their positions in the newly-liberated farms in the Western parts of al-Reihan town.

“After repelling the attack, the Syrian army forces started special operations in the Western farms of al-Reihan town in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus to tighten the noose on the terrorists,” a field source said.

The source said that the Syrian soldiers and popular forces purged the terrorists from several farms in Western al-Reihan and killed tens of them, adding that after repulsing the militants’ attack, they have now surround the terrorists in the Western parts of the town.

“After liberation of Housh Nasri, Housh Farah, Tal Kurdi and Tal Sawan by the army, Jeish al-Islam has lost a large number of its forces in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus,” the source said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Syrian army and air force launched non-stop attacks on the terrorists deployed in Eastern Ghouta of Damascus.

The Syrian fighter jets carried out several combat sorties over the battlefields in Eastern Ghouta and heavily bombed Zamalka, Jobar, Ein Tarma and Harasta neighborhoods.

According to a military source, several strongholds of the terrorist groups were destroyed and tens of militants were killed and wounded in the attacks.

“The Syrian air force had avoided operations over Eastern Ghouta, waiting for the end of peace talks in Douma, but the terrorists’ attacks using cluster weapons against Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus made them resume airstrikes on the region,” the source added.

Meantime, the army troops continued purging operations near al-Reihan town to tighten noose on the terrorists in the key area.

After retaking control of Tal al-Kurdi and Tal Sawan, the Syrian army and its allies started a new stage of operations in the Eastern parts of Damascus to liberate al-Reihan and al-Shifouniyeh towns and approach the terrorists’ main base in Damascus province, Douma.

Idlib

The Syrian fighter jets carried out tens of sorties over the terrorists’ supply routes which link Idlib to Aleppo to prevent transfer of fighters, weapons and ammunition.

The airstrikes were launched concurrent with the army’s continued operations to establish security in Aleppo’s Western fronts.

“The Syrian warplanes bombed the terrorists’ positions in Jisr al-Shaqour, Ma’arat al-Nu’aman, Saraqib, Jonoudiyeh, Khan Sheikhoun and Afis in Idlib,” a military source said on Thursday.

According to the source, the air force continues reconnaissance flights in the region to monitor the terrorists’ supply routes which link Idlib to Aleppo.

Quneitra

The al-Nusra Front (recently renamed to Fatah al-Sham Front) terrorists launched a massive offensive on army positions in the Golan Heights but retreated after sustaining tens of casualties.

“The al-Nusra militants attacked the Syrian army positions in Hadar town in the Golan Heights with hundreds of fighters and from several sides but the Syrian forces could repel the heavy offensive,” a military source said on Thursday.

According to the source, at least 75 terrorists were killed in the clashes and tens of others were wounded.

Other militants also fled the scene, the source added.

The al-Nusra terrorists’ offensive was launched after the Israeli forces attacked a Syrian military position in the Golan Heights on Wednesday.

The Israeli army did not hide its artillery attack on Syria, but claimed that it had earlier been hit by a shell that had gone astray.

“In response to the projectile which hit Israel earlier, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) targeted an artillery position of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights,” a statement said.

The rocket was believed to be stray fire from fighting between the Syrian government forces and rebels, it claimed.

It caused no casualties, the army said, and was “most likely a result of the internal fighting in Syria”.

The Israeli Army says it holds the Syrian government accountable for any fire from its territory, regardless of the source, but it never explains then why it helps the al-Nusra Front terrorists and treats wounded militants at its hospitals.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometers (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.

Homs

The Syrian air force intensified attacks on the positions and gathering centers of the ISIL and other terrorist groups in Homs, leaving tens of militants dead and wounded.

Field sources reported on Thursday that the Syrian fighter jets heavily attacked the ISIL near Huwaisis and al-Sha’er regions as well as districts between Tadmur (Palmyra) and al-Sukhnah in the Eastern parts of Homs.

In the meantime, heavy clashes erupted between the Syrian army and its allies and the ISIL terrorists in several regions of Eastern Homs.

Also, in the Northern parts of Homs, the Syrian warplanes launched 10 airstrikes against the militants’ positions in al-Qanto, al-Asn al-Aswad town, al-Hashemiyeh and Izzidin villages and the nearby areas as well as their gathering centers in Deir al-Foul region and Talbiseh town, destroying their strongholds and killing the terrorists inside them.

Hama

The Syrian army forces and warplanes targeted Jeish al-Fatah’s strongholds and supply routes in the Northern parts of Hama, inflicting heavy damage and casualties on the terrorists.

“The Syrian air force and artillery units smashed several strongholds and military vehicles of Jeish al-Fatah in al-Zalaqiyah, al-Zalaqiyat outpost, Taybat al-Imam, al-Lahaya, al-Mantar outpost, al-Buwaizeh, Morek and its Southern outskirts in Northern Hama which killed a large number of militants,” a field source said on Thursday.

Also, Jeish al-Fatah’s gathering centers and movements in al-Qarbal, al-Latamina, Kafar Zaita and North of it, Wadi al-Anaz, Northern parts of Souran and Ma’arkabeh were attacked by the Syrian air force and artillery units, killing and wounding dozens of terrorists and blowing up their military vehicles.

The Syrian warplanes also targeted a Fatah al-Sham (al-Nusra Front) convoy near al-Sayadi and al-Motevasetah regions in Northern Hama which inflicted heavy damages and tolls on terrorists.