Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Repels ISIL's Attack on Gov't Positions in Homs

Rasa - The Syrian army soldiers repelled terrorists' attack on their positions in Homs province after hours of clashes, inflicting major losses on them.

News ID: 430126

Date: 05 June 2017 - 19:05

RNA - The ISIL terrorists' attack to capture the government forces' positions in the Eastern part of Homs was fended off by the strong defense of the Syrian military men.

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

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army's operations in other provinces across Syria.

Homs

The Syrian Army's special forces known as 'ISIL Hunters' repulsed a large-scale assault of the ISIL terrorists along the Homs-Palmyra highway.

The ISIL terrorists heavily hit the positions of the Syrian special forces (ISIL hunters) in Height 681 with mortar shells and missiles to pave the way for their advances.

ISIL Hunters managed to repel the attack while killing and wounding scores of ISIL militants as well as arresting one of the ISIL members alive.

The captured ISIL terrorist disclosed that the terrorist group's massive attack was part of a reconnaissance mission to gather intel for a planned offensive to recapture Tiyas airbase and further advance to the energy fields at Al-Faraqlas.

The Homs-Palmyra road is one of the most strategic routes for the Syrian army to dispatch troops and weapons as well as equipment to the warfront in the countryside of Homs province.

Russian military experts had trained a large number of Special Forces of the Syrian Army known as "ISIL Hunters" to fight against terrorists in Eastern Homs and in the Western territories of the ancient city of Palmyra.

ISIL Hunters had played a significant role in the liberation of Tadmur from ISIL Takfiri group.

The ISIL Hunters were trained by the Russian Special Forces in Lattakia, and are experts in guarding government facilities in desert regions, arms and ammunition depots and military airports and fight against terrorists in oil and gas fields.

The Syrian army's special forces are also safeguarding Palmyra and the nearby oilfields in Homs province.

The ISIL Hunters were tasked with the mission after the liberation of Palmyra in a bid to protect the city as well as its oil and gas fields against terrorists' attacks.

Meantime, the Syrian army repelled ISIL's intensified attacks on government positions in areas near the strategic energy fields West of the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur), inflicting heavy losses on the terrorists.

The ISIL launched massive attacks on the Syrian army's military positions near al-Sha'er and Hayan oilfields West of Palmyra, but the terrorists were pushed back by the Syrian army after several hours of clashes.

Meantime, a military source said that after losing its military positions in Palmyra and its nearby regions, the ISIL has mobilized its elements in the surrounding areas of the two oilfields to seal off the Homs highway to the Syrian troops who are advancing deep into Badiyeh (desert) in an area near T4 Station.

Meanwhile, another political analyst announced that after sustaining heavy defeats in the Eastern countryside of Homs, the ISIL intends to approach Qalamoun regions by taking control over Hayan and Sha'er energy zones.

Dara'a

The Syrian army continued it military operations against Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) in Dara'a province, killing tens of terrorists, including several senior commanders.

The social media affiliated to the terrorist groups reported that at least 26 Al-Nusra Front militants were killed in an unsuccessful attack on government forces' positions in Manshiyeh region in Dara'a province.

Three senior Al-Nusra Front commanders, Wassim Youness Salaj al-Moslemeh, Hassan Sabahi nom de guerre Aba Zayd and Mahmoud Hamed al-Za'abi were among the Al-Nusra casualties.

Meantime, another convoy of the Syrian army forces arrived in Dara'a province along with a large cargo of weapons and military equipment.

The fresh forces joined their comrades on Wednesday as the Syrian army had earlier dispatched two other convoys of soldiers to Dara'a.

Hundreds of Syrian forces and a large batch of military supplies were sent to Dara'a province as it seems that pro-gov't forces are preparing to start a new anti-terrorism operation in the region.

Raqqa

The predominately Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued the fourth phase of their Euphrates Rage Operation in Raqqa province and managed to take control of al-Ba'ath dam, the third largest water reservoir in the country.

The SDF forces in a statement said that they have taken full control of al-Ba'ath dam after capturing al-Mansourah region the Western part of Raqqa province.

Meanwhile, the US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria announced that the military operations to liberate Raqqa from ISIL will begin in the next few days.

"Our forces have now deployed the outskirts of the city, and the major operation will start in the coming few days," YPG Spokesman Nouri Mahmoud said on Saturday.

"The battle will not be easy…Of course Daesh (ISIL) has tunnels, mines, car bombs, suicide bombers, and at the same time it is using civilians as human shields," Mahmoud added.

Meanwhile, a representative of the Syrian Democratic Forces, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the forces have received a batch of heavy weapons and armored vehicles from the US.

He further added that in a few days they expect new supplies of weapons from the US.

It is the fourth consignment of weapons sent to Syrian Kurds since President Donald Trump announced the decision to assist the Kurdish forces in Syria.

Aleppo

The Syrian army continued its military operations against the ISIL in the Eastern countryside of Aleppo, and took control of several villages in areas near the city of Maskana.

The government troops recaptured the villages of Samoumeh, Hatin, Majma Hatin and al-Rada close to Maskana city.

A military source also reported that the Syrian troops retook control of one of the largest water pumping stations in Lake Assad near Maskana.

Syria's state media said that over 1,200 ISIL terrorists have been killed and hundreds more have been wounded in the ongoing operation of the Syrian army in Eastern Aleppo that has resulted in the liberation of tens of towns and villages so far.

The Syrian state news agency said that the army soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL and drove them out of the villages of al-Eisalan, al-Qar, Maskana wheat silos, al-Aajouziyeh, al-Mahmoudiyeh, al-Feisaliyeh and al-Tayebeh.

Meantime, the countdown has started for accomplishing the recapture of the last stronghold of the ISIL in Eastern Aleppo province as Syrian soldiers have laid full siege on the terrorists in Maskana which is still under the group's control, cutting the ISIL's main supply lines between Aleppo and Raqqa.

The Syrian Army, backed by Russian bombers, continued its anti-ISIL operation to recapture the strategic town of Maskana in Eastern Aleppo and drive the ISIL out of the province, capturing tens of towns and villages.

Following the liberation of tens of towns and villages, the Syrian Army advanced toward the Raqqa-Maskana Road that is considered the ISIL’s main supply route to Eastern Aleppo.

The pro-gov't forces managed to close off the vital route of the militants to their so-called de facto capital in Northeastern Syria.

Well-informed sources said the Syrian Army's recent advances in Eastern Aleppo to capture Maskana have left the ISIL with no other option but to pull the remaining pockets of its forces back towards Raqqa province.

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