Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Russian Forces Deploy to Southern Syria to Monitor Ceasefire

Rasa - The Russian military forces deployed to the Southern territories of Syria to observe implementation of de-escalation zones agreement, a military source confirmed.

News ID: 431074

Date: 19 July 2017 - 23:03

RNA - The source reported that the Russian military has deployed to Dara’a province to begin their indefinite operation to monitor the ceasefire in Southern Syria.

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

Dara'a

The Russian military will be specifically headquartered in the town of Izra’a, as they serve as the primary force observing truce in de-escalation zones in the Southern part of Syria, the military source said.

A ceasefire came into force in Southwest Syria -- in the provinces of Dara'a, Sweida and Quneitra in the Southwest, along the Jordanian border -- in July 9 after a deal was brokered by the US and Russia on the sidelines of G-20 summit in the German city of Hamburg.

Syrian government forces had announced a halt to combat operations in the three provinces. According to the military, the move is aimed at supporting the peace process and national reconciliation in Syria.

The ceasefire was agreed to by experts from Russia, the US and Jordan, who negotiated a memorandum on the creation of a de-escalation zone in Southwestern Syria at talks in Jordan’s capital, Amman.

The US and Russia had previously negotiated a ceasefire in Syria in September 2016, but it collapsed after US aircraft bombed a Syrian government position, leading Moscow to wonder if the Pentagon was undermining the State Department’s efforts.

Damascus

The Syrian Army soldiers, backed up by the country's Air Force, intensified attacks on terrorists' defense lines in Eastern Ghouta and managed to impose control over move lands in Ein Terma region.

The army men, supported by heavy fire of the artillery and missile units, engaged in fierce clashes with Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board) and Faylaq al-Rahman in Ein Terma-Jobar-Zmelka triangle.

In the meantime, the army aircraft targeted terrorists' positions in Ein Terma and inflicted major losses on the militants.

A military source confirmed that the army soldiers managed to advance against terrorists along Ein Terma highway for the first time in the recent years.

Also, the army resumed its military operations in the Eastern suburbs of Damascus, targeting Faylaq Al-Rahman’s positions inside Ein Terma and Jobar regions.

According to reports, following the air raids, pro-gov't troops attacked Faylaq Al-Rahman’s positions near the Al-Khir Market, capturing several points and killing scores of militants.

A well-placed military source said that the Syrian army dispatched hundreds of fresh soldiers to Southeastern Damascus to join the pro-government force's imminent operation against terrorists near the border with Iraq.

The sources said that the army has sent hundreds of fresh reinforcements to Southeastern Damascus to reinvigorate its front at border with Iraq.

The sources added that a part of the dispatched force will be responsible for restoring more security to the liberated regions.

The sources pointed to the ceasefire in Southern Syria and added that a number of the fresh forces are to stand on alert to respond to any possible threats posed by the US-backed militants in the region.

He further said that the army forces will launch an imminent anti-terrorism operation near the border with Iraq.

Aleppo

Media reports said that tens of Ankara-backed militants and five Turkish soldiers were killed in their failed attack on the positions of the Kurdish fighters in Northern Aleppo.

The Kurdish-language Hawar news reported that almost 30 fighters of the militant groups affiliated to the Turkish army were killed in their attacks on the Kurdish fighters' positions in the village of Ein Daqneh in Northern Aleppo.

Hawar news further said that five Turkish soldiers were among the killed militants, adding that bodies of the killed Turkish soldiers are in a region that is controlled by the Kurdish fighters.

Hama

The army's artillery and missile units opened heavy fire at ISIL's movements along the oil pipeline Southeast of the town of Aqarib, the villages of Abu Hanaya, Arshouneh and al-Hardaneh, killing and wounding a number of terrorists.

In the meantime, the Syrian Air Force carried out repeated combat sorties and targeted ISIL's gathering centers and movements in the villages of Hamadeh Omar, Abu Hanaya and Qanbar in Eastern Hama, leaving tens of terrorists dead or wounded and their military equipment destroyed.

Deir Ezzur

Local sources in the Eastern province of Deir Ezzur reported that a fresh round of infighting erupted among commanders of the ISIL terrorist groups following the rapid advances made by the Syrian Army troops in both Homs and Raqqa provinces in their push towards Deir Ezzur.

The sources said that two Moroccan and Kazakh field commanders of the ISIL engaged in heavy fighting in the town of Qaranich in Eastern Deir Ezzur, leaving five terrorists injured.

The sources added that Saudi Commander of ISIL nom de guerre Abu Ayman al-Jazrawi that was known as emir of bomb-laden vehicles of ISIL were killed in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

In the meantime, the army troops and Air Force intensified anti-ISIL operation in Deir Ezzur and managed to destroy a long tunnel and a command center, inflicting major losses on the militants.

The army's artillery units pounded ISIL's movements and positions in the villages of Ayyash, al-Janineh, al-Hosseiniyeh, al-Thardah crossroad, al-Tayem region, Panorama base, Huweija Sakar region and a region 7km from Deir Ezzur-Hasaka road, killing a large number of terrorists and destroying their military equipment.

Also, the army soldiers stormed anti-ISIL operation in the neighborhood of al-Jablieh and destroyed a 33-m-long tunnel and a four-storey command center.

Meanwhile, the army forces engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists in Deir Ezzur airbase, Panorama base and al-Maqaber (cemetery) region, inflicting major losses on the terrorists.

Field source reported that the Russian and Syrian fighter jets bombed heavily ISIL's strongholds in the neighborhoods of al-Orfi and al-Jabiliyeh, inflicting heavy casualties on the militants.

Raqqa

The Syrian Army troops continued their advances against ISIL in Southern Raqqa and imposed full control over three more oilfields.

The army men that took back al-Dil'eh oilfield earlier today managed to drive ISIL out of the oilfields of Debsan, al-Rameilan and Rajm al-Jowz.

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

Field sources said that more than 20 civilians were killed in the US-led coalition air raids in the provinces of Raqqa and Deir Ezzur.

The US-led coalition fighter jets bombed the villages of al-Kashkiyeh and Abu Hamam in Eastern Deir Ezzur, killing 21 civilians and wounding several more.

In the meantime, three civilians were killed in the air raids in Raqqa city.

Also, the army troops continued to hit ISIL's defense lines in Southern Raqqa and managed to drive terrorists out of more positions en route to Deir Ezzur.

The army men clashed fiercely with ISIL in Southwestern Raqqa and imposed full control over the village of al-Fahidiyeh South of al-Fahd oil pumping station and al-Dil'eh oilfield, paving the ground for a fast move towards Deir Ezzur that is under ISIL's siege.

According to field reports, the army plans to create a large buffer zone on the East and the West of the road linking the towns of al-Resafeh in Southwestern Raqqa and al-Sukhnah in Eastern Homs.

Homs

The Syrian Army forces continued to hit ISIL's positions in Eastern Homs and deployed less then 9km away from the town of al-Sukhnah, the last main stronghold of the terrorist group en route to Deir Ezzur.

The army units engaged in fierce clashes with ISIL in Eastern Homs and managed to advance against terrorists from the Northern and Eastern directions of al-Heil oilfield.

Meantime, the Russian and Syrian fighter jets carried out intense attacks on ISIL's positions in the depth of al-Sukhnah and Humeimeh in Eastern Homs, destroying the entire positions and killing or wounding tens of militants.

A military source said that the army men are 9km away from the town of al-Sukhnah which is a gate to Deir Ezzur.

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