Terrorist Groups Opposing Damascus’ Conditional Ceasefire to Retreat from Demilitarized Zone

The Syrian Army has agreed to bringing into effect the ceasefire in Idlib province as of Friday night, SANA news agency quoted a Syrian Army’s military source as saying on Thursday.

The source noted that ceasefire in Idlib is conditioned on the implementation of the Sochi agreement on the demilitarized zone that requires the terrorist groups to retreat about 20 kilometers from the demilitarized zone in the province.

Meantime, the Step News website quoted other military sources as saying that the terrorists in Northern Syria have refused any type of ceasefire with the Syrian Army or any agreement to implement the Sochi Agreement.

The news website reiterated that the terrorist groups of the so-called al-Fath al-Mobin operation room had informed Ankara that they would not withdraw from any international highway in the demilitarized zone.

The Arabic-language al-Arabi al-Jadid news website also said that Jeish al-Izzeh commander in Northern Hama Same al-Saleh has refused any ceasefire in Northern Syria.

In a relevant development on Thursday, the Syrian army rapidly advanced in a major offensive in Northern Hama, breaking the terrorists’ defense lines in the region.

The Syrian army forces, supported by the artillery and missile units, continued clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists, regaining control of the two towns of Abu Raiedeh and West Abu Raiedeh as well as al-Arawi, al-Aziziyeh and al-Ray farms.

The government troops could also free the towns of Moshirfeh, Hasraya Tal Syriatel and Harat al-Khalifat in Northeastern parts of the town of al-Jabin.

Meantime, a field source said that the town of al-Arabaeen has collapsed in military terms in the Syrian army’s recent advance, adding that the terrorists’ defense lines have been fully shattered and their supply routes were cut off in the Syrian army’s artillery and missile attacks in Northern Hama.

He added that tens of terrorists were also killed in the operations.

In a relevant development earlier on Thursday, the Syrian army hit a heavy blow at Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group’s defense lines in the town of al-Latamineh in Northern Hama, forcing the militants to flee their most important headquarters in the region.

The Syrian army forces continued clashes with Tahrir al-Sham terrorists in the Eastern parts of the town of Tal Malah in Northern Hama on Thursday, retaking control of Wadi Hasmin region and the farms near the town of al-Zakah.

Meantime, a military source said that the Syrian army troops have regained control of Wadi Hasmin region, broken the first defense line of Tahrir al-Sham from al-Zakah and opened a new front towards the town of al-Latamineh as the militants’ key base in Northern Hama.

He added that a large number of terrorists were forced to flee al-Latamineh as the army is advancing in the region.

The source also said that a group of 17 militants were killed in clashes in al-Zakah, adding that the army forces targeted the terrorists’ supply lines in Hasraya and al-Arbaeen with artillery fire.

Meantime, the Syrian air force launched heavy attacks against the terrorists’ positions in al-Latamineh, Kafr Zita, Latmin and Dawir al-Akrad in Northern Hama, destroying several of their bases and military vehicles and killing the militants inside.