Syrian Army begins new offensive in East Ghouta

The Syrian Arab Army’s 105th Brigade of the Republican Guard began a new offensive on Friday, targeting the Islamist controlled village of Hawsh Al-Farah in the East Ghouta region of Greater Damascus.
Similar to their Mayda’a offensive, the 105th Brigade will be launching their attack from two different axes (Mayda’a and ‘Adra Prison axes) in order to flank the Jaysh Al-Islam (Army of Islam) militants at Hawsh Al-Farah.
This latest East Ghouta offensive comes just one week after the Syrian Armed Forces suspended its military operations inside this rural region outside of Damascus City.
The Syrian Armed Forces once controlled Hawsh Al-Farah for a short period of time in late 2014; however, they were forced to withdraw after Jaysh Al-Islam launched a major counter-assault to retake the village.
Hawsh Al-Farah is important to the High Command of the Syrian Armed Forces due to its proximity to the industrial town of ‘Adra, which sits just south of the Damascus-Aleppo Highway (M-5 Highway).