Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Makes New Gains in Eastern Damascus Countryside

The army units drove back the ISIL terrorists from several regions in Eastern Ghouta and paved their way to recapture more lands there.

The Syrian troops killed several terrorists and injured many more in fierce clashes over controlling of strategic regions. They also destroyed military equipment of the terrorists.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria.

Damascus

The Syrian Army troops, backed up by the country’s Air Force, stormed the defense lines of Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Eastern Ghouta on Saturday and captured more lands.

The army soldiers engaged in tough battle with Al-Nusra along the road connecting the regions of Jobar and Ein Terma, and took full control over the petrol station and its surrounding areas in Ein Terma.

In the meantime, the army’s artillery and missile units targeted Al-Nusra’ movements and positions in Eastern Ghouta, while the warplanes bombed heavily several positions of Al-Nusra in Jobar and Ein Terma.

According to field reports, the Al-Nusra has faced riot and collapse after the recent victories of the army men in the battlefields.

Deir Ezzur

The ISIL terrorists failed again to prevail over the defense lines of the Syrian Army troops in the Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur city on Saturday.

The army units engaged in heavy fighting with the ISIL and fended off their attack on pro-government forces’ positions in al-Maqaber (cemetery) region.

ISIL lost all its invading forces in the failed attack.

In the meantime, the Syrian Air Force carried out repeated combat flights over ISIL’s strongholds and movements in Tal Barouk region, al-Kanamat passageway, al-Maqaber and Tal (hill) Alloush, killing and wounding a number of terrorists and destroying their military vehicles.

Local sources said earlier on Saturday that the ISIL is forcing youth in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur to join the terrorist group’s front following the Syrian Army’s rapid advances in Eastern Homs and Southern territories of Raqqa province.

The sources said that the ISIL has gone on alert and issued a statement urging the youth between the ages of 20 and 30 to join the terrorist group’s garrisons in the region.

The development comes after the recent advances of the Syrian soldiers in Eastern Homs and Southern part of Raqqa province in their push towards Deir Ezzur, and the ISIL has announced that it will use the fresh recruits to slow down the army’s rapid advances.

Homs

The Syrian Army troops entered the key town al-Sukhnah, the last stronghold of the ISIL terrorists in Eastern Homs, after days of battle in their push towards Deir Ezzur.

The army soldiers, backed up by the country’s Air Force and artillery fire, continued to hit ISIL’s defense lines in Eastern Homs and entered al-Sukhnah.

The army men prevail over ISIL’s defense lines from two directions and entered the town.

Field reports said that the army men captured Jabal al-Tantour North-East of al-Sukhnah and imposed military control over Bazaar of al-Sukhnah after fortifying positions in Jabal al-Tantour.

The reports added that other units of the army advanced from the Western direction of the town and captured al-Sukhnah-Rowz al-Wahash (zoo) crossroad at the entrance of the town near Palmyra-al-Sukhnah highway.

In the meantime, the Syrian forces managed to repel ISIL’s heavy attack around al-Sukhnah and destroyed a bomb-laden vehicle and two military cars.

Earlier reports said that the Army men engaged in fresh clashes with ISIL in Eastern Homs and managed to drive them out of al-Hajanah checkpoint West of al-Sukhnah.

In the meantime, the army’s missile units and the country’s air forces targeted several positions of al-Heil region and al-Sukhnah Badiyeh (desert), inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

More reports said that ISIL is recruiting over 10-year-old kids and dispatching them to the battlefields in Syria.

Hama

Security commander of ISIL in the strategic town of Aqayrabat has been killed by unknown assailants, local sources said on Saturday.

The sources reported that Abu Qeis al-Salbawi, the security commander of ISIL in the terrorist-held town of Aqayrabat in Eastern Hama, has been killed by unknown attackers along with two of his aides.

In the meantime, the Syrian Army troops engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL along the oil pipeline East of the town of al-Salamiyah, killing and wounding a number of terrorists and seizing a BMP vehicle.

Also, a military source confirmed that the army men took back the positions lost to the ISIL in areas surrounding the oil pipeline and fortified them.

Meanwhile, the Syrian air force carried out several combat sorties over ISIL’s strongholds in the villages of Junb al-Albawi, Abu Hanaya, Salba and Abu Habilat in Eastern Hama, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

Idlib

Informed sources disclosed on Saturday that clashes among terrorist groups have intensified in Southeastern Idlib, leaving a number of militants dead or wounded.

The sources reported that the Al-Nusra Front stormed the positions of Jeish al-Fateheen affiliated to Ahrar al-Sham in the town of Tahtaya, killing and wounding a number of the rival militants.

The sources added that Al-Nusra intends to impose full control over the road connecting the Southern part of Idlib province to its Eastern part via driving out Jeish al-Fateheen of Tahtaya.

In the meantime, fighters of Hamoud al-Malik, the former commander of Ahrar al-Sham, engaged in clashes with former combatants of Jund al-Aqsa in the town of Ma’art Shamarin in Southern Idlib.

Local activists reported on Wednesday that Al-Nusra militants stationed at a checkpoint South of Saraqib intercepted a convoy of four trucks of Faylaq al-Sham terrorist group.

Al-Nusra militants seized the vehicles which were laden with weapons and ammunitions, and detained Abu Adas, Faylaq’s commander who was leading the convoy.

Faylaq al-Sham issued an ultimatum to Al-Nusra to release the convoy and the commander before midnight or wait for bloody clashes.

The showdown comes two weeks after Al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham (a close ally to Faylaq) signed a ceasefire following fierce clashes in North Idlib which killed up to 50 militants from all sides.