Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Wins Back More Strategic Regions Near Ancient Palmyra

The Syrian army and its allies made significant advances against the ISIL terrorists in Homs province after seizing back more key areas in the vicinity of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur).

News ID: 427399

Date: 15 February 2017 - 21:05

RNA - The terrorists sustained heavy losses in fierce clashes with the Syrian government troops near Palmyra city.

Meantime, the Syrian army and popular forces continued their military advances in other parts of Syria, including Aleppo and Dara'a, over past 24 hours.

Homs

Syrian Army troops continued to hit ISIL's positions near Palmyra ancient city and managed to seize a key region, inching closer to the terrorist-held ancient city.

The army soldiers stormed ISIL's defense lines in Eastern Homs and could liberate the strategic region of al-Bayarat al-Qarbi region West of Tadmur.

A army officer said soldiers have earned control over al-Mashtal region that is between the army positions and ISIL's defense lines in Tal al-Syriatel, underlining that the army men are advancing towards Palmyra to free the city and have now reached the gates of Jabal al-Tar whose fall to the army would mean an immediate capture of Tadmur.

Reports said earlier on Tuesday that the army troops continued their advances against ISIL in Badiyeh (desert) al-Qarbi of Palmyra and took full control of a region with rich sources of natural gas and crude oil.

The army men stormed ISIL's defense lines in Hayan oil and gas field from the Southern and Western directions and managed to seize back the energy field and its nearby hills known as al-Malah.

The army soldiers also drove ISIL out of Hayan factory.

ISIL suffered heavy casualties and its military hardware sustained major damage in the attack.

A military source said that the army's control over Hayan field can be the key to an impending main operation towards the oil and gas fields of al-Maher, Jahar and al-Sha'er in Northwestern direction of Palmyra.

Meantime, a military official said that Syrian Army troops' new tactics in facing ISIL terrorists in Eastern Homs have restored full security to the T4 military airport and its nearby regions.

The source said that the army's engineering units have used new tactics in fortifying their positions near T4 airbase and built interval high bulwarks with one kilometer in distance from each other.

The source added that in the meantime, the army has equipped its first defense line with powerful thermal cameras, Dushka machineguns, T62 tanks and Kornet anti-tank missiles.

The source underlined full security of the T4 airbase, adding, "The army has imposed complete control over territories around the T4 airbase up to 20km in radius, while Syrian and Russian fighter jets carry out regular patrolling flights over T4 the region to back the ground force and its popular allies."

Aleppo

The Syrian Army troops continued their anti-ISIL operation in Eastern Aleppo and seized control over more villages and heights Northeast of Kuweires airbase.

The army men, backed up by the army's artillery units and aircraft, engaged in non-stop clashes with ISIL North of the terrorist-held town of Deir Hafer and seized back the village and hill of Bayjan and the village of Moshreheh Abu Jabbar.

Army reports said ISIL has suffered heavy casualties and its military hardware also sustained major damage in the attack.

Also, the army men engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL near Kuweires airbase and recaptured the towns of al-Mansoureh Jadideh and al-Mansoureh (Khirbet al-Jahash) Northeast of the town of Sarhan on Monday, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

Dara'a

Over 200 terrorists of Al-Nusra Front (recently renamed to Fatah al-Sham Front) and its allied groups have been killed or wounded in failed attacks on Syrian Army positions in the Western districts of Dara'a city, a military source said on Tuesday.

The source said that the army troops have warded off a large-scale operation of the al-Nusra and other terrorist groups, codenamed Al-Mowt Wa La Al-Mazelah (death better than surrender), to prevail over the government forces' positions in al-Manshiyeh neighborhood, killing or wounding over 200 terrorists.

The military source added that over 2,000 terrorists, backed up by tanks, missiles and artillery fire and suicide attackers, stormed the army's positions in al-Manshiyeh neighborhood to take control of entire Dara'a, but sustained a major defeat and retreated after they lost over 200 comrades in the battle.

The army men also targeted several bomb-laden suicide vehicles of terrorists before reaching government forces' positions, he said.

The army soldiers also targeted several command centers of the terrorists and inflicted major losses on their tanks and military vehicles.

Reports said earlier on Tuesday that the army troops engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists in the Western districts of Dara'a city and managed to push them back from more positions and buildings.

The army soldiers stormed terrorists' concentration centers and gatherings in the neighborhood of al-Manshiyeh and could take control over several buildings near al-Ordon street, killing tens of militants including several commanders.

In the meantime, Syrian and Russian fighter jets and choppers pounded terrorists' positions in the Western part of Dara'a city, killing and wounding a number of militants

The army unit also targeted ISIL's positions in the town of Abu Jabar Kabireh, destroying several positions and military vehicles.

In the meantime, the army men hit several positions of ISIL in the town of Tadif South of the town of al-Bab, destroying several tunnels.

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