Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Close to Winning Back Key Oil Region in Homs Province

The army units destroyed the ISIL’s military positions near the oil-rich al-Sha’er region in Homs province, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists.

The Syrian army and government troops also inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists in other key provinces across Syria.

Homs

Syrian Army troops launched a large-scale offensive against the ISIL and are now very close to seizing back a key militant-held gas field in Eastern Homs, military sources announced Friday.

“The Syrian Armed Forces have reached the last checkpoint outside the strategic al-Sha’er gas fields,” the sources said, and added, “The Syrian government forces are now pounding this checkpoint with heavy artillery and missies, as they prepare to storm the site from the West.”

“Liberation of al-Sha’er region, which covers a mountaintop and several gas fields will enable the government forces to fully clean up the Northern territories of Palmyra (Tadmur) from ISIL terrorists,” they added.

Reports said earlier on Friday that Syrian Army troops and National Defense Forces (NDF) fended off ISIL’s attacks on their positions in gas-rich regions in Eastern Homs, claiming the lives of at least 30 terrorists.

ISIL left at least 30 dead members behind and retreated from the battlefield after the terrorist group’s attack to break through the government forces’ positions in al-Sha’er Gas Fields were repelled by the Syrian army soldiers and popular forces.

Reports said Russian helicopters played a major role in repelling this attack.

Hama

Terrorists’ strongholds in seven different regions in Northern Hama came under 75 air raids by the Russian and Syrian fighter jets on Friday.

The Russian and Syrian Air Forces carried out over 75 airstrikes above the terrorist-controlled villages of Souran, Taybat Al-Imam, Helfaya, Kawkab, Ma’an, Morek and Karrah.

The defense lines of Jund al-Aqsa, Jund al-Sham (Chechen militants), Jeish al-Nasr (Free Syrian Army) and Fatah al-Sham Front (the newly formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) formerly Al-Nusra Front) have been the main target of the Syrian and Russian fighter jets’ air assaults in recent days.

Reports said earlier on Friday that Syrian warplanes and choppers targeted the concentration centers of the terrorist groups in Northern Hama, inflicting major losses and heavy casualties on the militants.

Syrian fighter jets and military helicopters, in joint air raids, hit militants’ gatherings hard in Latamina, leaving scores of the terrorist dead or wounded.

In the meantime, Syrian Army troops stormed Jund al-Aqsa’s positions in the town of al-Karrah and its surrounding regions in Northeastern Hama, destroying tens of vehicles of the terrorist groups.

Aleppo

Syrian Armed Forces beat Jeish al-Fatah back from more strongholds in a Northeastern district of Aleppo city, army sources said.

Syrian army and its popular allies stormed Jeish al-Fatah’s defense lines in Bostan al-Pasha district, driving them out of Wartan Church and al-Haraytani tower and building.

Syrian artillery units had previously shelled Jeish al-Fatah’s strongholds to pave the way for army soldiers’ easier advance in the battlefield.

Field sources said earlier on Friday that the Syrian Army troops and popular forces have been hitting Jeish al-Fatah’s defense lines more heavily in the Northern outskirts of Aleppo after the capture of the Handarat Palestinian Refugee Camp and al-Kandi Hospital.

“Syrian government force, backed up by the army’s artillery units, have been targeting Jeish al-Fatah’s strongholds in al-Meidan square, al-Shaqif, Tal al-Ahmar and al-Jandoul, pinning down the militants behind their position with the lowest movements possible,” the sources said.

“Syrian military forces have meantime fortified their position near al-Kandi hospital,” they added.

Dara’a

yrian Army soldiers and popular forces stormed the bases of Fatah al-Sham Front (the newly formed al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in three districts of the Southern city of Dara’a.

Syrian government forces staged a heavy raid on Fatah al-Sham’s positions and strongholds in al-Badou, al-Karak and Northwestern side of al-Qariyeh al-Gharbiyeh bridge, slowing down their movements in the city.

The army attacks also inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorist group.