RNA - The military positions of the Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) came under massive attacks of the Russian and Syrian fighter jets.
Meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in other parts of Syria, including Damascus and Hama, over past 24 hours.
Idlib
The Syrian and Russian fighter jets staged a heavy bombing raid on the strongholds of the Al-Nusra Front in Northern Syria on Saturday to pave the ground for the liberation of the province by an imminent assault by ground troops.
The warplanes carried out tens of combat sorties over Al-Nusra's positions and command centers in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Idlib, destroying a number of positions and inflicting an unspecified number of casualties on the militants.
The army is planning to destroy the Al-Nusra positions in Northeastern Hama, Southeastern Aleppo and Southern Idlib in line with an imminent large-scale operation of the pro-government forces to liberate Idlib.
Military sources confirmed earlier on Saturday that the Syrian Army troops pushed Al-Nusra back from another strategic region in their operation in Northeastern Hama and Southeastern Idlib.
The army units exchanged heavy fire with Al-Nusra in al-Shakousiyeh and al-Rahjan region in Northeastern Hama and in Abu Dali and al-Moshayrafeh in Southeastern Idlib.
Also, the Syrian Air Force and the army's artillery and missile units pounded Al-Nusra's positions in the region, the sources reported, adding that the army men further seized control over al-Zahra Farms Northwest of the town of al-Zaferiyeh in Southeastern Idlib.
Meantime, the Syrian Army troops' recent advances against the al-Nusra Front in Southeastern Idlib have caused the terrorist group to call on comrades to assist them to slow down the army's advances, dissident-affiliated websites said on Saturday.
The news websites reported that the Al-Nusra has kept its forces on alert in Idlib province and meantime has called on its allies to send their fighters to Idlib to help them face the army's advances.
In the meantime, local sources reported that Abu Bakr Ra'as al-Hasn, a commander of Al-Nusra, was killed by unknown attackers in the town of Ma'arat al-Mesrin in Southern Idlib.
Damascus
The Syrian Army has merged its forces deployed in Quneitra with other pro-government units in Southwestern Damascus to intensify attacks on Al-Nusra Front in the region, well-informed sources reported on Saturday.
The sources said that the Quneitra's Hawks affiliated to the Syrian Army released on their facebook page that they have completely merged in the army's Golan Regiment in Southwestern Damascus.
The Hawks said that they have set up a new unit known as Dar'a al-Watan-Quneitra Hawks Brigade, adding that the new merger is aimed at reinvigorating the army's battle against terrorists in Southwestern Damascus.
The sources said that the army managed to impose control over the key hills of al-Baydha after the Hawks joined them.
A field source reported earlier on Saturday that the army troops stormed the strongholds of Al-Nusra Front in Southwestern Damascus on Saturday and deployed only a thousand meters away from the terrorist group's key bastion in the region.
The source said that the army men that captured the hills of al-Baydha and al-Maqtoul al-Gharbi on Friday are now only one kilometer away from Beit Jinn Farm, the Al-Nusra's main stronghold in Southwestern Damascus.
The source further said that the army's artillery and missile units pounded again Al-Nusra's positions Northeast of the small town of Beit Jinn, killing and wounding a number of militants and destroying their equipment.
The source added that the army men have now tightened siege on Beit Jinn Farm from the North-East.
The source went on to say that the army's recent advance has opened a new front that is expanded in a region from Beit Jinn-Hineh road up to the Southeastern outskirts of the village of Mughur al-Mir.
Hama
The Syrian Army troops pushed the Al-Nusra Front back from another strategic region in their operation in Northeastern Hama and Southeastern Idlib, military sources confirmed on Saturday.
The army units exchanged heavy fire with Al-Nusra in al-Shakousiyeh and al-Rahjan region in Northeastern Hama and in Abu Dali and al-Moshayrafeh in Southeastern Idlib.
Also, the Syrian Air Force and the army's artillery and missile units pounded Al-Nusra's positions in the region, the sources reported, adding that the army men further seized control over al-Zahra Farms Northwest of the town of al-Zaferiyeh in Southeastern Idlib.
A military source in Hama said on Friday that the Russian Air Force launched a massive assault over Southern Idlib, striking the positions of Al-Nusra Front at several towns near the Hama axis.
The source said that the warplanes launched over 20 airstrikes above the Idlib province, targeting the towns of Abu Dali, Musharifah, Tal Marq, Abu ‘Umar, and Al-Mashad.
The source added that the fighter jets launched at least 15 strikes over the towns of Al-Rahjan and Al-Shakousiyah in Northeastern Hama.
The Russian airstrikes were conducted ahead of the Syrian Army’s planned offensive that is expected to begin in Southeastern Idlib.
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