Syrian Army Advances into the Important Jisr Al-Shughour District

Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 10th Tank Division – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – continued their advance inside the Al-Ghaab Plains of the Hama Governorate, capturing the town of Al-Fawru after fierce firefights with the Islamist rebels of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra.”

The town of Al-Fawru is situated on the provincial border of the Idlib and Hama Governorates; its location is imperative due to the town’s proximity to the strategic city of Al-Sirmaniyah, which is located along the road that leads to the rebel stronghold of Jisr Al-Shughour.

Following their complete capture of Al-Fawru, the Syrian Armed Forces advanced past the Islamist rebel defenses at the Al-Sirmaniyah-Al-Fawru axis; this resulted in their entrance into the city of Al-Sirmaniyah after another series of intense clashes with Jabhat Al-Nusra, Ansar Al-Sham, and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at the Hama-Idlib axis.

With Jubb Al-Ahmar and Al-Fawru under their control, the Syrian Armed Forces are now in position to strike the city of Al-Sirmaniyah from two different flanks (western and southern flanks); this creates a serious issue for the Islamist rebels due to their inability to maneuver west towards the hills of northeast Latakia.

If Al-Sirmaniyah is captured by the Syrian Armed Forces, they will be less than 5km away from the integral city of Jisr Al-Shughour, which is situated on the border of the Latakia Governorate in western Idlib.