Syrian Armed Forces Advance Inside the East Ghouta
Jobar has been immersed in violence and destruction for the last three years, as the Syrian Arab Army’s 105th Brigade of the Republican Guard and the Islamist fighters from Jaysh Al-Islam (Army of Islam) fight for control of this city located inside the East Ghouta (collection of farms) of the Rif Dimashq Governorate.
On Monday morning, the SAA’s 105th Brigade – alongside the National Defense Forces (NDF) – carried out a powerful assault on Jaysh Al-Islam and the Al-Rahman Corps’ frontline positions near the Tayba Mosque; this resulted in the capture of at least three building blocks and the death of 23 confirmed enemy combatants from the aforementioned Islamist rebel groups.
In addition to their success near the Tayba Mosque, the Republican Guard captured the Mail Depot building and the dilapidated Teachers’ Tower after fierce clashes with Jaysh Al-Islam on Monday afternoon.
Despite the gains made on Monday, the Syrian Armed Forces are still in a deadlock for control of the entire city; this is due to the fact that the Islamist rebels of Jaysh Al-Islam possess a network of tunnels underneath Jobar, which has allowed them to reinforce and resupply their entrenched fighters inside this city.
Meanwhile, south of Jobar, the Republican Guard – backed by the National Defense Forces – captured the western farms of Bala, killing scores of enemy combatants, while also seizing their weapons supply depot.
The Syrian Armed Forces also clashed with Jaysh Al-Islam and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” at the cities of Douma, Zibdeen, Dayr Al-‘Asafeer, Al-Rehan, and ‘Ayn Al-Tarma.
