Syrian Army Makes Substantial Gains in the Al-Ghaab Plains

On Wednesday morning, the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the 45th Regiment of the 1st Armored Division – surprised the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” with a powerful assault on their positions in the eastern countryside of the Al-Ghaab Plains.

Caught off guard, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra both withdrew from the Khirbat Al-Naqous-Tal Wassit axis after the Syrian Armed Forces fractured their frontline defenses, leaving the Islamist rebel groups with no choice but to retreat to the eastern sector of Khirbat Al-Naqous.

Following the Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham retreat to the eastern sector of Khirbat Al-Naqous, the Syrian Armed Forces launched another assault on this town in west Hama, capturing the remaining Islamist rebel positions before they advanced to the small town of Al-Mansoura to the east.

Once again, Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham were unable to maintain their defensive positions; this allowed for the Syrian Armed Forces to take full control of Al-Mansoura Hill before they were able to capture the town of Al-Mansoura.

With Al-Mansoura and Khirbat Al-Naqous under their control once again, the Syrian Armed Forces would capture Tal Al-Dayr and Tal Barki after fierce clashes with Jabhat Al-Nusra.

The conglomerate of Al-Qaeda affiliates from “Jaysh Al-Fateh” began to shell the peaceful town of the Al-Sqaylabiyah on Wednesday, leaving one civilian severely wounded after a shell hit his home.