Syria in Past 24 Hours:

Army to Kick off Imminent Operation to Drive Terrorists out of Southern Damascus

Rasa - The Syrian army troops are to launch a large-scale operation to purge different regions in the Southern countryside of Damascus city of ISIL and other terrorist groups amid arrival of the government's elite forces in the region, military sources said on Wednesday.

News ID: 435537

Date: 28 December 2017 - 18:38

RNA - The Syrian army troops are to launch a large-scale operation to purge different regions in the Southern countryside of Damascus city of ISIL and other terrorist groups amid arrival of the government's elite forces in the region, military sources said on Wednesday.

Damascus

The sources said that hundreds of army's Special Forces have arrived in Southern Damascus to join their comrades near the al-Yarmouk Palestinian Refugee Camp, Tadamoun region and Hajar al-Aswad region to kick off an imminent operation to free Hajar al-Aswad and al-Yarmouk from ISIL.

The army men's operation will include preventing ISIL's advances in the region and driving them out of the region they have recently captured.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army troops' imposed heavy defeats on Al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) in Southwestern Damascus, causing the terrorists to surrender to the government forces, a field source reported on Wednesday.

The source said that over 250 terrorists were killed or wounded in the army advances in Southwestern Damascus, adding that the Al-Nusra was forced to accept the army's terms and conditions to leave the region for Idlib and Dara'a after the government forces managed to take control over hills and heights overlooking Beit Jinn and Mughur al-Mir region and separate the two regions completely.

The source further said that 110 terrorists, including 10 commanders, were killed and 160 more militants were injured in the army advances, adding that a number of the injured militants are under treatment in Israeli hospitals.

The sources said that with army's control over Beit Jinn and Mughur al-Mir, terrorists have been purged of the entire Western Ghouta, including Jabal al-Sheikh region, Darayya, al-Mo'adhamiyeh, Khan al-Sheih, al-Darkhabiyeh, Syria's Golan Heights and the borders with Israel, al-Haramoun mountains and from there to al-Qalamoun mountain.

Media sources reported on Wednesday that the Syrian army has given a 72-hours-long ultimatum to the Al-Nusra Front in Southwestern Damascus to leave the region or lay down arms and apply for government amnesty.

The Reuters quoted Ebrahim al-Jabawi, a commander of the Free Syrian Army, as saying that the government army has given only 72 hours to the terrorists near the borders with Israel to surrender to the government forces to be relocated to Idlib province, adding that those gunmen who do not intent to leave the region should lay down their arms and apply for amnesty.

Another source close to terrorist groups said that they have been told to surrender otherwise they will be faced the army's military operation.

The army has laid complete siege on terrorists' positions after capturing strategic hills and farms near Beit Jinn and Mughur al-Mir regions.

Hama

The Syrian Army troops further advanced against the Al-Nusra Front on Wednesday, capturing more positions in their push towards one of the main strongholds of the terrorist group in Northeastern Hama.

The army units stormed Al-Nusra's defense lines in Northeastern Hama and captured the Old Air Defense Battalion Base and Tal (hill) Aswad in their push towards the small town of Abu Dali, a main terrorist stronghold in the region.

Also, the army's artillery and missile units pounded the supply lines and movements of Al-Nusra in the villages of Sinjar, al-Zafar, al-Khowein, Tal Amarah, Tal Mardikh and Kafr Amim, killing tens of terrorists and destroying their military vehicles.

A military source, meantime, said that the army now overlooks al-Mosheirefeh and al-Dajaj region that are the last barriers in front of them to reach Abu Dali after they managed to take control over the Old Air Defense Battalion Base.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army men drove the Al-Nusra Front out of more regions in Northeastern Hama in their push towards Abu al-Dhohour airbase in Southeastern Idlib.

The army soldiers stormed Al-Nusra positions in Northeastern Hama and imposed control over Ra'as al-Ein hill Northeast of the village of Khneifes and the village of Qabibat Abu al-Hoda North of al-Khneifes.

Also, other units of the army hit Al-Nusra's positions in al-Mosheirefeh, Abu Dali regions, Tal (hill) Al-Moqata'a, Tal al-Tawil and Tal Awvad and imposed major losses on the terrorists.

In the meantime, the Syrian Air Force pounded terrorists' strongholds in the towns of Atsahn, Abu Dali and al-Tamanna in Northern Hama, killing a number of Al-Nusra fighters and destroying their positions.

The army men are advancing towards Abu al-Dhohour airbase in Southeastern Idlib from Eastern and Northeastern Hama and Southeastern Aleppo.

Also on Wednesday, several large military plans took off from Deir Ezzur Airbase and transferred a large number of Syrian and Russian soldiers and a large volume of heavy equipment to a base in Hama province to join an imminent anti-Terrorism operation in Idlib province, military sources confirmed.

The sources said that at least eights large Ilyushin cargo planes took off from Deir Ezzur airbase carrying more Syrian and Russian troops and military hardware and landed in a base in Hama in line with the government forces' preparedness to kick off an imminent operation to hit the positions of Al-Nusra Front in Idlib province and capture Abu al-Dhohour airbase.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army troops and Air Forces hit harder the positions of Al-Nusra in Eastern Hama after militants targeted and shot down a military jet.

The warplanes launched heavy airstrikes on Al-Nusra positions in the villages and towns of Boyouzd, Janineh, al-Rahjan, al-Sakar and al-Malwalah in Eastern Hama.

The air attacks further expanded to the villages and towns of Abu Dali, al-Zoweitiniyeh and al-Hamdaniyeh in Northeastern Hama.

Also, the army's artillery and missile units shelled Al-Nusra's position s in Northern Hama.

Field sources said a large number of terrorists were killed or wounded and several positions and a large volume military equipment were destroyed in the attacks.

Local sources in Northwestern Hama reported on Wednesday that the Al-Nusra Front has stormed the position of its rival Free Syrian Army (FSA) and captured their regions.

The sources said that the Al-Nusra has attacked the strongholds of Jeish al-Nasr affiliated to the FSA in Qal'ah al-Madhiq region in Northwestern Hama and managed to capture several command centers and positions of Jeish al-Nasr, seizing their weapons and ammunition.

Aleppo

A notorious commander of Al-Nusra Front and two of his aides were killed in Northern Aleppo after their vehicles came under attack by the Syrian pro-government forces, a Russian media outlet reported on Wednesday.

The Arabic-language website of RT reported that Liwa al-Quds forces affiliated to the Syrian Army fired a guided missile at the vehicle of Al-Nusra commander in al-Lairamoun region in Northern Aleppo, killing the commander and two of his comrades on the spot.

The Arabic RT further said that another Al-Nusra member was injured in the attack that was transferred to Turkish hospitals.

Also on Wednesday, Turkey-backed militants launched a heavy attack on the positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Eastern Aleppo, killing and capturing a number of SDF fighters, dissident-affiliated websites reported.

The websites reported that militants of the Turkey-led Euphrates Shield stormed the positions of SDF in the town of Manbij in Eastern Aleppo, killing a number of  Kurdish fighters.

In the meantime, four SDF fighters were captured by the Ankara-backed militants.

Homs

Peace and Security Coordinator in Homs province Haj Adel reported on Wednesday that the ISIL terrorists have been hidden in al-Rukban refugee camp that is under the control of the US-backed militants near the border with Jordan.

"According to our intelligence, a group of the New Syrian Army militants formed of the fugitive members of ISIL have arrived at al-Rukban camp in Southeastern Homs. In the meantime, refugees in the camp are forced to join the newly-formed army," the Arabic-language website of the Russia's state news agency, Sputnik, quoted Adel as saying.

Adel further told Sputnik that a number of non-Syrian terrorists are in al-Rukban camp too.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army troops warded off a heavy offensive of the terrorist groups in Northern Homs and managed to impose major losses on the militants.

The army men engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists deployed in al-Houla and repelled their attack on army positions in the village of Marimein in Northern Homs, inflicting major damage on their equipment and vehicles.

Also, the army's artillery and missile units pounded movements and positions of terrorists in al-Houla.

In the meantime, the army's mortar and artillery units opened heavy fire at terrorists' gathering centers in Hawsh Hajwa region and the Eastern outskirts of the town of Talbiseh after the terrorists violated the ceasefire and their mortar units shelled army positions in Northern Homs.

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