Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Inflicts Heavy Losses on Terrorists in Homs Province

Rasa - The Syrian army backed by the country's air force hit hard the terrorists' military positions and hardware in the Eastern part of Homs province.

News ID: 426725

Date: 22 January 2017 - 16:31

RNA - The terrorists sustained heavy losses in the Syrian army's attacks.

The Syrian army also continued its advances in other key provinces across Syria.

Homs

Syrian Army soldiers continued to attack ISIL's positions near T4 military airport in Eastern Homs, capturing more key heights with the aerial back up of the country's warplanes.

The army men, backed up by Syrian fighter jets, engaged in fierce clashes with the ISIL and managed to take full control over the strategic height of Alab al-Tayas Northeast of the Fourth Station.

Meantime, the army aircraft carried out tens of combat flights over ISIL's positions near the Fourth Station and al-Tayas to the North of the T4 airbase.

The warplanes also conducted massive air raids on ISIL's defense lines Southeast of the Airbase, near Jazal oilfield and in the towns of al-Sukhnah and al-Ameriyeh in the Northern direction of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur).

Reports said earlier on Saturday that the Syrian and Russian warplanes targeted the positions and an operation room of the ISIL in Eastern and Northeastern Homs, killing almost 65 terrorists, including several commanders and wounding 40 more.

The warplanes carried out tens of combat flights over ISIL's positions and concentration centers in Homs, wounding at least 40 terrorists and killing 65 more, including eight commanders.

The Russian fighter jets bombed and destroyed an operation room of ISIL in Taliheh heights.

The Syrian army aircraft targeted ISIL's gatherings in the town of al-Sukhnah, the city of Palmyra and the region of al-Douh, near the village of Huwesis, al-Sha'er oilfield and near the military airport of T4.

The Syrian warplanes also hit ISIL's positions and military convoys in the regions of al-Mashtal, al-Hayer al-Qarbi and North of Jabab Hamad in Eastern Homs, destroying several vehicles of the militants.

Warplanes and choppers of Russia and Syria also targeted ISIL's centers in the regions of Zab'at al-Maleh, Manukh, al-Sha'er gas field, al-Shoumeriyeh mountain, Aqayrabat, al-Sukhnah, Arak in at least 57 combat sorties.

Deir Ezzur

Six Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers attacked ISIL terrorists in Syria's Deir Ezzur province on Saturday.

"On January 21, 2017, six long-range Tu-22M3 bombers took off in Russia and delivered a group air attack against Daesh  (ISIL terrorist group) targets in the Deir Ezzur province… Intelligence data confirms that the targets were successfully hit," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that the airstrikes struck terrorist camps, ammunition depots, as well as militants and vehicles.

The bombers were covered by Su-30SM and Su-35S fighter jets which had taken off from the Hmeymim airbase.

After accomplishing the combat mission, all Russian planes returned to their bases.

Moscow has been conducting a military operation against terrorists in Syria at President Bashar al-Assad's request since September 30, 2015.

Dara'a

The terrorist groups in Dara'a al-Balad targeted the residential areas in Dara'a, wounding several civilians and leaving much damage to civilian properties.

The Syrian army forces carried out several operations in reaction to the violation of the ceasefire by the militants.

The army troops first conducted an ambush operation against a military vehicle of the al-Nusra Front (recently renamed to Fatah al-Sham Front) on Kafr Nasaj-al-Mal road in the Northern parts of Dara'a, killing and wounding all terrorists traveling in the vehicle.

Also, the Syrian army units targeted another military vehicle belonging to the terrorists which was moving towards the army positions and blew it up.

Damascus

Syrian Army soldiers continued their advances against Fatah al-Sham Front (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in the village of Ein al-Fijeh and drove terrorists out of a key square after hours of non-stop clashes.

The army men continued fierce clashes with Fatah al-Sham in Ein al-Fijeh and took control of the main square in the village.

Fatah al-Sham suffered a heavy death toll and a large number of them fled the battlefield.

Idlib

Media sources disclosed that Ahrar al-Sham terrorists engaged in fierce clashes with rival terrorists of Jund al-Aqsa and Fatah al-Sham Front (previously known as the al-Nusra Front) in Northwestern Syria, leaving a large number of militants dead or wounded.

ARA news reported that Ahrar al-Sham has suffered a large number of casualties in clashes with Fatah al-Sham and a group of Jund al-Aqsa in the town of Iblin close to Jabal (Mount) al-Zawiyeh.

ARA added that the town of Ahsam has also been the scene of heavy fighting between rival militants. "Fatah al-Sham eventually managed to win full control over Ahrar al-Sham's positions and Qamaynas town that is near Ahsam," it continued.

In the meantime, members of Jund al-Aqsa stormed an Ahrar al-Sham-controlled prison in Qamaynas and took away a Turkish National and handed him over to Turkey's intelligence service, ARA news went on to say.

A number of Ahrar al-Sham's members, including Abu Bakr Abadita, a security commander of the group, were arrested in the raid.

The Northern and Western territories of Idlib have been recently the scenes of fierce clashes between Ahrar al-Sham with Fatah al-Sham and Jund al-Aqsa that have thus far inflicted major casualties on both sides.

Aleppo

Syrian Army troops, backed up by Russian air support, continued their advances against the ISIL near the town of al-Bab, taking back more lands in the region.

The army soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in the Southern direction of al-Bab and captured the key village of Barlahin to the North of the town of Al-Seen, inflicting major losses on the militants.

The army soldiers had already liberated the villages of A'abad, al-Sefah, Afrin, al-Shahrour and al-Shamer in Eastern Aleppo.

Army soldiers said the Russian fighter jets played a crucial role in their advances against the ISIL in al-Bab battle.

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