Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Tightens Grip over Terrorists in More Areas in Hama Province

Rasa - The Syrian army and popular forces continued fighting against terrorist groups in Hama, re-establishing control over more areas in the province.

News ID: 432163

Date: 04 September 2017 - 21:56

RNA - The terrorists in Hama province sustained heavy losses in tough battle with the Syrian army.

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

Hama

The Syrian Army troops continued their anti-ISIL operation in Eastern Hama and took control over six more towns and regions a few hours ago and after liberating the key town of Aqayrabat.

The army men stormed the remaining pockets of ISIL's strongholds in Eastern Hama and captured the towns of al-Makimen al-Janoubi, Rasm al-Ahmar, Na'eimeh, Jadideh and Tanhaj and al-Seib region, tightening circle of forces around ISIL-held regions.

A military source, meantime, said that al least 38 ISIL terrorists have been killed and a large volume of their military equipment have been destroyed in the attacks, adding that the terrorist front in Eastern Hama has completely collapsed.

Reports said earlier on Sunday that the army men, backed up by Russian fighter jets, stormed the remaining pockets of ISIL terrorists in Eastern Hama and liberated the town of Aqayrabat.

Aqayrabat was main center of ISIL in Hama and the start line of terrorists' attacks on army position in Eastern Hama and the road connecting Hama to Aleppo.

A military source said that a large number of ISIL terrorists have been killed or wounded in Aqayrabat liberation operation, adding that the army plans to continue to free other terrorist-held regions in Eastern Hama.

In the meantime, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday, “The units of the 4th tank division of Syrian government forces, in collaboration with the 5th Volunteer Corps and military intelligence unit (Mukhabarat), liberated the town of Aqayrabat.”

“The operation to destroy a large group of ISIL fighters in the Eastern part of the Hama province was carried out with the active support of the Russian Air Force.”

Russian planes destroyed terrorist strongholds and their armored hardware. The jets also targeted ISIL's artillery positions, control points and communication outposts.

“The last major pocket of terrorist resistance in Central Syria has been eliminated,” the ministry said, adding that the Syrian army is now targeting the rest of the completely surrounded IS forces in the area.

Damascus

The Syrian Army troops continued to hit the positions of Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday and managed to seize control over a passageway that connects Jobar to Ein Terma region.

The army men imposed control over Harmaleh passageway between Jobar and Ein Terma that was one of the main supply lines of Al-Nusra in the Eastern countryside of the capital.

Also, the army soldiers pushed Al-Nusra back from several buildings and positions South of Ein Terma parallel to al-Mat,halaq al-Janoubi region.

The army units further detonated a tunnel under a network of tunnels that had lined terrorists' positions East of al-Mat'halaq to the depth of Jobar, killing tens of terrorists.

Reports said earlier on Sunday that the army men managed to push Al-Nusra terrorists to areas around Sonbol petrol station in Ein Terma region and imposed control over several buildings.

The army units further embarked on rapid fortification of the newly-captured positions.

Also, the army's artillery units shelled Al-Nusra's positions and movements along the road between Jobar and Ein Terma regions.

Deir Ezzur

A number of ISIL terrorists were killed after the Syrian Army soldiers prevailed over their positions in the Southwestern countryside of Deir Ezzur on Sunday.

The army men managed to break through ISIL's defense lines near the water reservoirs South-West of Deir Ezzur city, killing the entire members of a group of terrorists.

The army units further seized weapons and ammunitions of the militants.

In the meantime, the army soldiers, backed up by the country's Air Force, stormed ISIL's concentration centers in the depth of Badiyeh and destroyed ISIL's last stronghold in Harbisheh region South-West of the province, killing and wounding a number of terrorists.

Also, the army said that it has fortified the newly-captured positions in region.

Reports said earlier on Sunday that the army men seized control over several heights near Mount al-Bashari, the villages of Rajm al-Hajaneh and Mount Safiyeh, deploying forces only 30km to Deir Ezzur city.

The army men and popular fighters, backed by the Russian Air Force, also liberated several square kilometers of the desert terrain over a short period in both Homs and Deir Ezzur provinces.

The army units managed to advance against ISIL from Wadi al-Zoweihak region in Eastern Homs to the village of Haribsheh near the border with Deir Ezzur, seizing control over a 12km-long chunk of the al-Sukhnah-Deir Ezzur highway.

As a result of this advance, the Syrian government forces have positioned themselves within 16 km of al-Shoula, which is the last major town located directly West of the Deir Ezzur province’s capital.

A military source said, meantime, that if the army men capture al-Shoula they will be able to win control over al-Sukhnah-Deir Ezzur highway for the first time in recent years.

Raqqa

The Syrian Army soldiers stormed ISIL's defense lines in the Southeastern territories of Raqqa province and captured two key villages on Sunday.

The army men engaged in a fresh round of fierce clashes with ISIL in the Southeastern part of Raqqa province and took control of the villages of Tal al-Abd and al-Hayereh.

The army soldiers try hard to capture the town of Ma'adan, the last stronghold of ISIL in the Southeastern part of Raqqa province.

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