Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Intensifies Anti-Terrorism Operation in Eastern Damascus

Rasa - Field sources reported on Friday that the Syrian Army troops and popular forces continued to hit the terrorists' defense lines along the Ein Terma-Jobar road, killing 20 members of Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board).

News ID: 430854

Date: 08 July 2017 - 22:16

RNA - The sources said that the pro-government forces engaged in fresh round of attacks on Al-Nusra Front positions along the road the connects Jobar district to Ein Terma region, killing 20 terrorists and destroying a large volume of military equipment.

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

Damascus

The sources further added that rapid advances of the army men in Eastern Damascus proved that terrorists' strongholds in the region are vulnerable and the ground is mainly paved for the government forces to advance to the depth of Jobar.

The Arabic-language al-Ahd news website reported that the army's operation in the region is aimed at separating Ein Terma from Jobar, adding that Al-Nusra Front's military equipment and ammunition in Jobar are declining.

A military source also said that the army expanded its control over regions near the strategic triangle of Jobar-Ein Terma, driving Al-Nusra out of more positions.

The source added that the terrorist were retreating from the battlefield.

In the meantime, the army soldiers continued their advances against terrorists in Eastern Ghouta and managed to impose control over more positions towards Ein Terma region.

The army men engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists and captured several buildings from Zmelka bridge to the backside of Grand Mosque of Ahl al-Safa near Ein Terma.

The army units also drove terrorists out of several buildings in Chemini Land Complex opposite to al-Kheir Bazaar.

Deir Ezzur

The army troops engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Southwestern Deir Ezzur and managed to repel terrorists' offensive.

The army soldiers, backed up by the country's fighter jets, started clashes with the ISIL in Panorama square and managed to fend off their heavy attack.

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

Local sources said that the army aircraft carried out several combat flights over ISIL's movements in Panorama region to back up the ground troops.

Meanwhile, the army troops and Air Force targeted ISIL's positions and gathering centers in and outside the Southern city of Deir Ezzur, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

The army aircraft launched heavy bombardment on ISIL's positions in Jonayd Division base, Tamin Brigade base in the Southern outskirts of Deir Ezzur, the village of al-Jafrah East of Deir Ezzur airbase and al-Mari'eiyeh region Southern of the airbase, killing and wounding a number of terrorists.

In the meantime, the army's artillery and missile units targeted ISIL's positions in regions near the airbase, al-Maqaber (cemetery) region, the village of al-Baqaliyeh and Tal (Hill) al-Sonouf, killing several militants.

Meantiem, the Russian fighter jets carried out repeated combat sorties over ISIL's positions in the neighborhood of al-Kanamat in Deir Ezzur city and the village of al-Baqaliyeh Northwest of the city and in Panorama school in South-West of the city.

Dara'a

Militants violated the newly-extended 48-hour ceasefire in Southern Syria after firing rockets and mortar shells at the Syrian Army’s positions on Friday.

“Armed groups violated the truce this morning when they fired shells and rockets at our forces North of Al-Asfar and Tal Salman in rural Sweida,” an army officer reported.

The Syrian Army has yet to respond to this violation, he said.

The 48 hour ceasefire in Southern Syria came in effect on Thursday night; it is meant to last until 11:59 P.M. (Damascus Time) on July 8th.

The ceasefire in Southern Syria was extended for another 48 hours after both the Syrian Army and opposition forces agreed to the extension, a military source confirmed.

According to the source in Dara’a, the ceasefire would end at 11:59 P.M. (Damascus Time) on Saturday and could be extended if all warring parties agree.

The ceasefire was underway in the Southern provinces of Dara’a, Quneitra and Sweida.

A military source said that any violation by the opposition forces in Southern Syria would leave the Syrian army obligated to respond.

Hama

The army troops engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Eastern Hama and managed to win back two strategic hills and four small but key towns.

The army men engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL South of Ithriya region and took control of Hill 23, while other units of the army stormed ISIL's defense lines and captured the towns of Maksar, Maksar al-Shamali, Rasm al-Tineh and Tal al-Hawaiyat Southeast of Sheikh Hilal region East of the town of al-Salamiyah.

The army soldiers and Palestinian Quds Brigade forces, meantime, pushed terrorists back from the strategic hill of Tabareh al-Deeb in Eastern Hama after hours of non-stop fighting.

Raqqa

At least 224 civilians were killed in US-coalition airstrikes since the predominately Syrian Kurdish Democratic Forces (SDF) entered the ISIL-controlled Raqqa city in Northeastern Syria approximately a month ago, the Observatory for Human Rights said.

“At least 224 civilians, including 38 children and 28 women, have been killed in airstrikes by the US-led coalition on Raqqa since the SDF entered it,” the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The US-backed Kurdish forces are launching a full-scale offensive in bid to capture the ISIL’s de-facto capital of Raqqa.

Civilians who managed to flee Raqqa reported that besides the ones who were killed in coalition airstrikes, ISIL snipers also killed dozens of civilians attempting to escape the raging battles and indiscriminate bombardment.

Meantime, a field source said that the army’s Tiger Forces were gearing up for a new anti-ISIL offensive in Western Raqqa after a week-long hiatus following the liberation of the Khanasser Plain in Southeastern Aleppo.

The source said that the Tiger Forces returned to the Western countryside of Raqqa province, where they were expected to launch a new operation against the ISIL.

The source added that the main objective of the upcoming operation would be the capturing of the town of al-Sukhnah in Eastern Homs, which was an ISIL stronghold surrounded by many gas and oil fields.

Homs

Fierce clashes broke out between two terrorist groups in Northern Homs, inflicting heavy casualties on both waring sides.

The sources said that the infighting, which erupted in the town of Talbiseh between the Liwa al-Tawheed affiliated to the Free Syrian Army and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board), left scores of militants dead, including two senior commanders.

The regions controlled by militants in Northern Homs have recently been included in the de-escalation zones agreement brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey.

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