Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Regains Control of More Areas in Southeastern Raqqa Province, Inches Closer to Winning Entire Region

Rasa - The Syrian army continued its advances in the Southeastern part of Raqqa province, and captured more strategic areas as the government forces are close to taking full control of the entire region.

News ID: 431279

Date: 28 July 2017 - 20:17

RNA - The army units drove the ISIL terrorists out of key areas and their surrounding areas in Southeastern Raqqa.

The Syrian troops inflicted heavy losses on the terrorists in fierce clashes over controlling of strategic regions. They also destroyed military equipment of the terrorists.

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

Raqqa

The Syrian army continued its military operations in Southeastern Raqqa and inched closer to the ISIL's last bastion in the region by seizing back several more areas.

The army soldiers in heavy clashes with the ISIL terrorists in Southeastern Raqqa seized back the villages of al-Nazieh, Rajm Suleiman and Kharar as well as Kharar hilltop overlooking the towns of Qanem Ali and Zour Shemr.

Meantime, the Syrian army troops took control of several ISIL-held oil facilities along the villages.

A military source also pointed to the recent advances of the Syrian army towards the city of Ma'adan which is the last bastion of the ISIL in a region between Raqqa and Deir Ezzur provinces, and said the Southeastern territories of Raqqa province will be fully purged of terrorists once the city is captured by the army.

The source went on to say that by getting closer to the strategic region of Jabal (mount) al-Bashri in Western Deir Ezzur, the Syrian army will seize control over vast areas.

Meantime, a human rights watch pointed to the collapse of the ISIL concurrent with the Syrian army advances, and reiterated that the army soldiers are now just 6 kilometers away from the city of Deir Ezzur.

According to reports, the Syrian Army is on the verge of entering the Northern countryside of the Deir Ezzur province for the first time in years after their recent advances in Southeast Raqqa province, as by capturing Ma’adan, the ISIL’s entire front-line in Southeastern Raqqa is expected to collapse, leaving the entire region to the pro-government forces.

Hama

The Russian and Syrian warplanes pounded the military positions of the ISIL and Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in two separate fronts in Hama province, inflicting heavy casualties on both terrorist groups.

The Russian and Syrian fighter jets hit ISIL's military positions in al-Qastal, al-Hanouteh, Jarouh, Abu al-Fashafish, al-Rawyza, Abu Hanaya, Abu Habilat, Qalib al-Thur, Salba, al-Dakileh, al-Hardaneh, Masadeh, al-Makiman and Jeni al-Ablabawi, killing a large number of terrorists and destroying their military positions and equipment.

Meantime, the Syrian army killed the entire militants of a group of ISIL terrorists at al-Zakiya junction in Eastern Ithriya who were trying to penetrate into Ithriya-Rasafa road in Eastern Hama.

The army troops also foiled an attempt by a group of Al-Nusra terrorists who intended to open their way into Salamiyah-Homs road near the town of Khanifis and pushed them back.

A large number of terrorists were killed and wounded in clashes with the Syrian soldiers and their military equipment was also destroyed.

Aleppo

The Turkish army and its affiliated militants lost 16 troops after they launched attack on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Northern Aleppo on Thursday.

Kurdish news agencies reported that the Turkish army and Ankara-backed militants attacked SDF forces in three directions and started clashes with the Kurdish troops in the villages and towns of Sheikh Halal, Ain Daqneh, Tal Rafat, Sheikh Issa, Harbal, Samouqeh, near al-Shahba dam, Tal Maziq and Halasbeh.

The concurrent missile, mortar and artillery attacks on the villages resulted in fierce clashes between the two sides, Hawar news reported.

At least 16 Turkish soldiers and its affiliated militants were killed in heavy clashes with SDF fighters, added the report by Hawar news.

Homs

The Syrian army launched a large-scale offensive to liberate Eastern Homs after fortifying its positions in areas surrounding ISIL's most important bastion in the province.

A field commander pointed to the control of the Syrian troops on the most important regions in the areas surrounding al-Sukhna city and purging the city of terrorists, and said that the Syrian army has started its military operation against the ISIL in al-Sukhna.

The commander also reiterated that ISIL's defense lines have collapsed, and added that ISIL leaders transferred their families from al-Sukhna to the city of al-Mayadeen in Deir Ezzur province on Wednesday.

Meantime, the Syrian army's artillery and missile units as well as the country's air force heavily pounded ISIL's positions in the city.

In a relevant development earlier on Thursday, the Syrian army continued its military operations deep inside Badiyeh (desert) region in Eastern Homs and took control of several new areas.

The Syrian army intensified its clashes with ISIL terrorists in al-Heil gas field-al-Sukhna road and took control of several areas overlooking Jabal (mount) al-Rabiat which is 11 kilometers Southwest of al-Sukhna city.

This is while the Syrian army troops are now less than nine kilometers away from al-Sukhna from the Eastern direction of al-Heil.

Also, the Syrian army also further continued its advances in Eastern Homs and took control of Sabqa al-Mala West of al-Baqliya after taking full control of al-Baqliya village North of Homs-Palmyra road.

The Syrian army backed up by the country's air force continued its advances against ISIL deep into Badiyeh (desert) region in Eastern Homs, taking control over more strategic areas in the region that is seen as the gate to Deir Ezzur.

The army troops seized control of key regions and hilltops Southwest of the city of Al-Sukhna after clashes with the ISIL terrorists near Palmyra.

Meantime, a military source confirmed that the Syrian army's command has prepared for the final battle to liberate al-Sukhna dispatching massive forces and military equipment to the battle zones in Badiyeh.

The source also said that the Syrian army has fortified its military positions in the region.

Meantime, the Syrian air force pounded ISIL targets deep inside al-Sukhnah and its surrounding areas as well as in Badiyeh Humeimeh in the Eastern part of Homs province, killing several terrorists and destroying their military equipment and vehicles.

Damascus

Media sources close to the terrorist groups disclosed that Moscow has given Faylaq al-Rahman militants one day to cut its relations with Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Eastern Ghouta and expel them from areas under their control.

According to AMN, the Russian military delegation in Syria has given Faylaq Al-Rahman in East Damascus exactly 24 hours to force the Al-Qaeda-linked Tahrir Al-Sham Hay'at (Al-Nusra Front) to leave the area or else the Syrian Army will not be required to adhere to the ceasefire that has recently come into effect.

According to a military source in Damascus, the daylong ultimatum to kick Takfiri terrorists out of the East Ghouta started on Wednesday morning and will end on Thursday.

Meantime, some sources close to the terrorist groups also reported that Faylaq al-Rahman has asked Al-Nusra Front either to accept being merged in Faylaq al-Rahman or leave Eastern Ghouta for Idlib.

Faylaq Al-Rahman controls a large portion of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus province; however, the militants are currently at odds with Jeish Al-Isam, which is one of the largest militant groups in the region.

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