Syria in Last 24 Hours:

Army Makes New Gains in Hama Province

Rasa - The Syrian army continued its mop-up operations in Northeastern Hama by purging terrorists from key towns and regions.

News ID: 435266

Date: 11 December 2017 - 23:06

RNA - The army units also back the town of Baleel in al-Zaqbah region and the village of Um Khazim and paved their way towards Idlib.

The army then focused on advancing towards other regions along border with Aleppo.

The Syrian troops killed tens of terrorists and injured dozens more 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.

Hama

The Syrian Army troops are marching on the positions of the Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Northeastern Hama and have managed to seize control over several regions at border with Idlib.

The army soldiers, backed up by the country's Air Force and artillery fire, stormed the strongholds of the Al-Nusra in Northeastern Hama, and captured the small town of Baleel and Baleel hill in al-Zaqbah region.

The army men continued their advances and took control over the village of Um Khazim and Um Khazim hill in Southeastern Idlib at border with Hama.

The army aircraft, meantime, pounded terrorists' movements and gathering centers in the towns and villages of al-Rahjan, Um Mayal and al-Shakousiyeh in Northeastern Hama, inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the intensified infighting taking place along the Idlib-Hama provinces racked up a whopping 440 dead terrorists in the last 60 days.

The SOHR said that heavy infighting among terrorist groups began in October, when the ISIL launched an attack against the Al-Nusra Front in Northeastern Hama.

As a result of the ISIL offensive, the terrorist group entered the Idlib province and captured several towns in the province in Northwestern Syria, it added.

Damascus

The Syrian Army troops continued the offensive on Al-Nusra Front positions in Southwestern Damascus and managed to seize control over Bardaya Chain of Mountains, military sources confirmed on Sunday.

The sources said that the army men engaged in tough battle against the Al-Nusra and captured the Southern hills in Bardaya region, imposing full control over the key Bardaya Chain of Mountains in Southwestern Damascus.

The sources went on to say that the army has also seized military control over Hineh plains, al-Mughur al-Mir region and the small town of al-Mughur al-Mir following its advances in Bardaya region.

The army has cut off the entire supply lines of the Al-Nusra from Bardaya region to Beit Jinn Farm.

In the meantime, the army's missile units deployed in the village of al-Maqrouseh launched a heavy shelling on the only supply line of the terrorists Southwest of the town of al-Mughur al-Mir parallel to al-A'awaj River.

The Syrian Army troops on Saturday stormed again the strongholds of the Al-Nusra Front in Western Ghouta, targeting Tal (hill) al-Maqtoul near the Golan Heights.

The army men attacked the Northern part of Tal al-Maqtoul near the town of al-Mughur al-Mir, where they reportedly broke-through the Al-Nusra's first line of defense.

However, despite some reports on capturing the hilltop, the Syrian Army still does not have control over Tal Maqtoul, as clashes are still raging at this important site located near the occupied Golan Heights.

Dara'a

A commander of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was killed in a roadside bomb explosion, dissident-affiliated news websites reported, adding that the body of a commander of the Al-Nusra Front was also found in Northeastern Dara'a.

The websites reported that Monir Hassan al-Musalmani nom de guerre Abu Namer, a commander of Al-Nusra, was found dead between the small town of al-Maliheh al-Qarbi and Rakham in Northeastern Dara'a.

The websites further said that Badi'a Ahmad Awaz al-Hariri, a field commander of the FSA, was killed in a land min blast as he was moving on the road connecting the small towns of Basr al-Harir and Maliheh al-Atach to each other in Northeastern Dara'a.

Another militant accompanying al-Hariri was also injured in the blast.

Deir Ezzur

The Syrian Army troops found a large volume of advanced arms, ammunition and telecommunication equipment in the regions that were previously under ISIL's control in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.

Field sources said on Sunday that the army's engineering units discovered a large volume of weapons, munitions, bombs, landmines and advanced telecommunication equipment and radars as well as bomb-laden or armored vehicles while combing regions between the towns of al-Mayadeen and Albu Kamal in the mop-up operation in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.

The sources further added that the army men found a large number of bomb-laden boxes and toys in ISIL's hideouts in the region.

Military sources conformed earlier that the army men, operating from South of the town of al-Mayadeen towards the town of Albu Kamal and from North of Albu Kamal towards al-Mayadeen, managed to join the town flanks and captured the entire villages and towns on the Western bank of the Euphrates River that were previously under ISIL's control, the sources said, adding that with the recent advances the army soldiers managed to lay siege on the ISIL trapped in a large desert region as large as 7,000 sq/km.

The sources further said that the army is now in control of the entire regions on the Southern bank of the Euphrates River from Eastern Raqqa to Deir Ezzur city and Albu Kamal.

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