Syria in Past 24 Hours: Army Launches Massive Offensive against Al-Nusra in Hama

The army’s artillery and missile units opened heavy fire at the gathering centers of the terrorists in Northern Hama, killing over 20 and wounding several more.

The fighter jets carried out a number of combat sorties over the movements of terrorists in Hama province, and destroyed their concentration centers.

The Syrian army also inflicted heavy losses on the terrorist groups in other key regions across Syria.

Hama

The Syrian Army’s artillery and missile units along with the country’s Air Force continued massive raids on terrorist groups in Northern Hama, killing and wounding a large number of militants.

The artillery and missile units opened heavy fire at a gathering center of the terrorists West of the town of al-Zalaqiyat, killing over 20 and wounding several more.

Military sources said that the remaining pockets of the terrorists called on their comrades in other regions for immediate assistance.

In the meantime, the terrorists’ defense lines in the town of Kafr Zita came under fire by the government troops’ artillery and missile units.

Also, the Russian and Syrian fighter jets pounded terrorists’ movements and concentration centers in the towns of al-Latamina and Kafr Zita, killing and wounding a number of militants.

A military source disclosed earlier Saturday that the Syrian Army Special Forces have recently been equipped with advanced arms to intensify battle against terrorists in Northern Hama.

The source said that Tiger Forces, led by Brigadier General Soheil al-Hassan, that are seen as the most powerful striking forces in Western Syrian have been using Serbian 40mm RBG Grenade Launchers and Russian AK-74 assault rifle.

The source added that the Syrian forces have also been using cutting-edge electronic anti-drone devices and systems to jam the waves and the function of terrorist groups’ drones.

Reports had earlier said that the terrorist groups have used the US-made anti-tank TOW missiles to target the armored and military vehicles of the army.

Damascus

The terrorists of Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) continued retreat from Eastern Ghouta under the heavy offensive of the Syrian Army troops.

The army men engaged in further clashes with Al-Nusra South of al-Qaboun district and managed to take full control over several residential complexes in the district.

The Al-Nusra suffered a heavy death toll and its military hardware sustained major damage in the attack.

Local sources reported that the Syrian Air Force bombed the al-Nusra positions in al-Qaboun several times simultaneous with the advances of the ground troops.

Meantime, informed sources disclosed that clashes among terrorist groups have intensified in Eastern Ghouta with rival terrorist factions accusing each other of provocations.

The sources said that Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board), in a statement, has accused Jeish al-Islam of carrying out provocative moves to incite young fighters into internal clashes.

The sources added that Tahrir al-Sham threatened to punish Jeish of Islam over its provocative acts in Eastern Ghouta.

Jeish al-Islam said it wanted to dispatch its forces to one of the checkposts of Faylaq al-Rahman at the entrance of the town of Mesraba to back their comrades, but after arrival of their forces in the town of Arbin, Jeish al-Islam launched a surprised attack on Tahrir al-Sham’s positions, said the statement.

It added that Jeish al-Islam will receive a crushing response and punishment over their attack on residential units and killing of the captives in Arbin.

According to reports, Jeish al-Islam has gained control over the town of Arbin and the settlement of Hazeh.

Homs

The ISIL terrorist group struck the positions of the Osoud al-Sharqiya, a US/ Jordanian-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) branch, in Northern Damascus near the border with Homs province, local sources said, adding that a number of militants from both sides have been killed in the clashes.

The sources said that the ISIL launched a fresh assault on the positions of Osoud Al-Sharqiya terrorist group in a border region between the provinces of Homs and East Qalamoun.

The ISIL attack came after a fortnight of encroaching FSA gains against the terrorist group which where aimed at expelling it in the direction of Homs province and lifting the siege on East Qalamoun.

So far, ISIL has managed to take control over Manqourah, Zibedah, Dab’ and Daba’ and, consequentially, the Osoud Al-Sharqiya group has been forced onto the defensive for the time being.

As a result of the attack, ISIL has reaffirmed its siege of FSA-held East Qalamoun, which only twelve hours ago seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

Dara’a

The Syrian Army troops continued to clash with Al-Nusra Front in several neighborhoods of the Southern city of Dara’a, driving them out of more key positions, a military source confirmed on Saturday.

The source said that the army soldiers managed to repel continued attacks of Al-Nusra terrorists on pro-government forces’ positions in the Southern neighborhoods of Dara’a city and in a later counteroffensive captured important positions in narrow alleys and buildings in al-Manshiyeh.

The source added that the army’s advances will provide enough military coverage for the government forces for their operation in the city.

They went on to say that although Al-Nusra’s snipers had slowed down the army soldiers’ advances in the Southern part of the city, the Syrian and Russian fighter jets’ raids destroyed most snipers’ positions.

Raqqa

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued the anti-ISIL Euphrates Rage Operation in Western Raqqa and managed to drive the terrorists out of more neighborhoods in al-Tabaqa city, killing over 40 of them.

The SDF engaged in heavy fighting with ISIL in al-Tabaqa city and managed to take control of the neighborhoods of al-Nababeleh, al-Zahra and al-Wahab, killing 23 militants.

In the meantime, the Kurdish fighters managed to push ISIL back from al-Wahabah and Radio Station in al-Tabaqa, killing 20 militants and capturing 10 others.

Idlib

An Emir of terrorists from the Caucasus region of Russia was killed in a mosque in Idlib on Friday, local sources said.

The sources said Emir of the Imam Bukhari brigade (a militant group with foreign fighters mainly from Uzbekistan) Sheikh Salah was shot dead along with four bodyguards by unknown assailants during prayers in downtown Idlib.