RNA - The deployment took place with the aim of reinvigorating the combat and defense capabilities of the Syrian army in Eastern Idlib province.
Meantime, the Syrian army and popular forces continued their military advances in other parts of Syria, including Aleppo, over past 24 hours.
Idlib
The Syrian army is preparing to open a new front in Eastern Idlib by sending fresh forces and new military equipment to the region.
Field sources reported on Thursday that the Syrian army has dispatched a large number of special forces and military equipment to Southeastern Idlib to prevent the ISIL terrorists' possible advance in the region.
They noted that the army has stopped operations in the region to reinvigorate security in Abu al-Dhohour airbase, adding that the army soldiers are preparing to open a new front against the terrorists in Eastern Idlib.
In a relevant development on Wednesday, the Syrian army units, backed up by the country's Air Force, repelled a heavy offensive of Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) to recapture the newly-liberated town of Abu al-Dhohour.
The army men engaged in fierce clashes with Al-Nusra and repelled their attack to recapture the town of Abu al-Dhohour in Southeastern Idlib, killing a large number of terrorists and destroying their military hardware.
Also, the army aircraft pounded the Al-Nusra positions and movements in the battlefields near the key Abu al-Dhohour airbase and near the village of Sarjeh in Southeastern Idlib, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.
Aleppo
The Ankara-backed forces have been sent from Jerablus in Aleppo to Afrin as tensions and clashes intensified between the Turkish army and the Kurds in the region.
Hawar news reported on Thursday that the Turkish army has evacuated the forces fighting within the framework of the Euphrates Shield and stationed in Jerablus in Northeastern Aleppo to Afrin after sustaining defeats against the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
It added that the checkpoints in and outside Jerablus have been evacuated from the so-called Police forces and several tanks have entered Afrin from the Turkish corridor of the town.
Military vehicles and ambulances were seen crossing the Turkish-Syrian border in Oncupinar, in both directions, during the ongoing operations against the Kurdish forces in Syria on Wednesday.
Turkish sources disclosed on Wednesday that the Turkish Army has temporarily halted the Olive Branch Operation to fortify newly-captured positions and later kick off fresh attacks on Kurds to go directly towards the Central part of Afrin region,.
The Turkish-language Yeni Safak daily quoted the sources as saying that military operations along the borderline with Hatay, Hasa, Kakhan Sakisli and Kilis has been halted to resume a fresh ground operation towards the town of Afrin after recent advances of the Ankara forces and allied militants against Kurds within the framework of the Olive Branch Operation in Northwestern Aleppo.
The daily further said that the Turkish troops have captured seven regions in clashes with the Kurds in Afrin, adding that the army forces are about to fortify their position in the seven newly-captured regions and later push towards the town of Afrin.
It added that the new strategy will prevent the Kurds from prevailing over the positions of the Ankara forces.
Deir Ezzur
Over 16 civilians were killed and several more were wounded in the US-led coalition fighter jets' attacks in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.
Local sources in Southeastern Deir Ezzur confirmed that the US warplanes targeted the town of al-Sha'afeh on the Eastern banks of the Euphrates River on Thursday, killing at least 13 people, including 7 women, and wounding several others.
The sources said that the airstrikes also killed 3 women in the town of Hajin.
Also, earlier this month, more than 50 civilians were killed and wounded during the US-led coalition's airstrikes against a town in Eastern Deir Ezzur, local sources said.
The sources confirmed that over 20 civilians were killed and 30 others were wounded after the coalition's fighter jets pounded the town of Qaranij in Eastern Deir Ezzur.
A number of injured people are in critical conditions, they added.
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