Syria in Past 24 Hours:

Damascus, Ankara on Edge of Confrontation in Aleppo

Rasa - The Syrian army troops reinvigorated their positions in Afrin region as the Turkish army and their allied militants occupied four new regions and approached the Syrian army bases in Northern Aleppo.

News ID: 436976

Date: 24 March 2018 - 22:03

RNA - The Syrian army troops reinvigorated their positions in Afrin region as the Turkish army and their allied militants occupied four new regions and approached the Syrian army bases in Northern Aleppo.

Aleppo

Field sources reported on Friday that the Turkish army and allied militants gained control of the four villages of Ba'ei, Basoufan, Kafr Nabou and Borj Haider in clashes with the Kurdish forces in Southeastern Afrin.

The sources said that the Turkish forces have approached the regions near the two towns of Nobl and al-Zahra which are under the Syrian army's control now.

Meantime, the Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news channel reported that the Syrian army units have consolidated their positions in Borj al-Qas, al-Zoq, Miyaseh and Bashmara to confront any possible attack by the Turkish army and its allied militants after the latter's advances in regions near the Syrian army positions.

Also in the past 24 hours, several terrorists were killed in clashes between Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) and Syria's Tahrir Front in Northern Aleppo as negotiations to settle internal differences between them failed.

Field sources reported on Friday that a number of militants were killed and held captive during clashes between Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at and Syria's Tahrir Front near Jamiat al-Rahal region in Western Aleppo.

The sources pointed to the clashes between the two sides in several villages and towns in Western Aleppo, including Balenta and Makbelis, and said that Tahrir al-Sham has entered the villages of Batbo, Kafr Nasih, Babkeh, al-Jineh and Abyan.

Meantime, Tahrir al-Sham has sent a large number of military vehicles and equipment to the town of al-Artab in Northern Aleppo.

The developments came after negotiations to stop clashes between Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's Tahrir Front have failed as the two sides blame each other for the failure.

Damascus

Over 650 militants and their family members, stationed in Harasta region in Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, left the region for Idlib in line with an agreement with the Syrian army.

Army sources reported on Friday that 655 people, including 176 militants, left Harasta for Idlib on 11 buses and surrendered their weapons after an agreement with the army.

They added that Ahrar al-Sham militants have set fire on their weapons and ammunition caches in Harasta before leaving the region.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army continued military operations in the last bastion of Faylaq al-Rahman terrorist group South of Eastern Ghouta, winning control over the terrorists' positions and tightening noose on them.

The army forces advanced in the town of Ein Tarma in Eastern Ghouta on Thursday afternoon after regaining control over Wadi Ein Tarma region, taking back several buildings, farms and factories used by Faylaq al-Rahman terrorist group as bases and posts.

Army sources confirmed control over the plants called engineering factories, noting that they were among the terrorists' largest bastions used to maintain and fix armored vehicles.

Meantime, field sources said that the army has tightened the noose on the militants, adding that they have no way out but to surrender.

Other army units also advanced from their positions in the town of Hamouriyeh, gaining control of a number of buildings in the South and Southeastern parts of the village of Hazeh in Eastern Ghouta.

Also on Friday, Faylaq al-Rahman terrorist group agreed to leave Eastern Ghouta for Idlib after facing the Syrian army's rapid advances in the region.

Faylaq al-Rahman's commander Abdolnasser Shamir asked the Syrian army to allow members of the terrorist group to leave the militant-held areas in Eastern Ghouta for Idlib.

Meantime, field sources reported that the terrorists' evacuation of their most important bastion, Harasta, and the army's extensive advances in the town of Ein Tarma, have forced Faylaq al-Rahman to leave the region.

Ein Tarma region was one of the most important strongholds of Faylaq al-Rahman but the Syrian army won control over the region during its recent advances.

Quneitra

Militants in two villages in Quneitra province handed over their weapons to the relevant officials and ended battle against the Syrian Army, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday.

The ministry said in a statement that representatives of the militants in the villages of Batenah and al-Khalediyah have signed the peace agreement with the army.

It added that the total number of towns, regions and villages that have thus far joined the nationwide peace plan stands at 2,450 now.

Deir Ezzur

The army forces discovered the mass grave in Deir Ezzur city's Central garden that contains nearly 150 civilians and military men during purging operations on Thursday.

Local sources said the victims have been executed by the ISIL during its rule over the region, adding that signs of torture are still seen on a number of the dead bodies.

Dara'a

The Syrian army will likely start military operations against the terrorists in Dara'a after earlier reports said the government troops reinvigorated its positions in the Southern province.

According to Fars News Agency, a mid-ranking military officer confirmed on Friday that the Syrian army has reinforced its positions in the village of al-Tineh in al-Lajah region in Northeastern Dara'a.

He added that the army has set up new positions and reinvigorated its former bases in al-Shaqra region between the two villages of al-Tineh and al-Malzoumeh in Dara'a.

Observers believe that the army's measures are aimed at launching an imminent military operation against the terrorists in Dara'a.

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