Syria in Past 24 Hours:

British, French Nationals Accompany Terrorists to Transfer Suspicious Gas Cargoes

Rasa - The terrorists in Idlib province are preparing for a false-flag chemical offensive, reports said on Thursday, adding that two gas cargoes have been smuggled to Idlib and Hama by Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in collaboration with French and British nationals.

News ID: 439315

Date: 31 August 2018 - 21:58

RNA - The terrorists in Idlib province are preparing for a false-flag chemical offensive, reports said on Thursday, adding that two gas cargoes have been smuggled to Idlib and Hama by Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in collaboration with French and British nationals.

Idlib

The Arabic-language website of Sputnik news agency quoted informed sources as saying on Thursday that terrorists in Idlib transferred a Turkish truck carrying two cargos of gas materials, which had entered Idlib several days ago along with a convoy of concrete walls through Bab al-Hawa passageway, to Jisr al-Shaqour region and Northern Hama under security measures by Tahrir al-Sham and Turkistani terrorist groups.

They added that the truck arrived at Tahrir al-Sham's special court headquarters in the Southern parts of Idlib city after separating from the Turkish convoy, saying that the truck moved towards Jisr al-Shaqour region on Monday afternoon after being loaded with tall blue gas cylinders.

According to the report, over 20 foreign black nationals, speaking in French and British languages, were monitoring the loading operations.

The sources said that the truck returned again to Tahrir al-Sham's special court to take the second cargo of the gas cylinders and the terrorists transferred it to Northern Hama.

Also in the past 24 hours, Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at terrorist group has dug several networks of tunnels in Idlib to fight against the Syrian army as the latter is preparing for massive operations to free the province.

The Arabic-language website of Sputnik news agency quoted local sources in Idlib as saying on Thursday that Tahrir al-Sham and other allied terrorist groups have dug several nested tunnels with the aim of confronting the Syrian army.

They added that the tunnels are in different parts of Idlib province and they link the terrorist group's different positions, noting that some of the big tunnels are used to transfer armored and military vehicles.

Based on the report, the terrorists have forced thousands of abducted people and civilians to dig the tunnels which are similar to the tunnels built by the terrorists in Eastern Ghouta and Jobar near Damascus.

The Syrian army has also sent dozens of convoys of forces and weapons to different fronts in Idlib in the last several weeks to liberate the province which is occupied by tens of thousands of terrorists, including Arabs, Uygurs, Chechnians and Uzbeks.

Also on Thursday, the Syrian army dispatched more heavy military convoys to the Northern fronts in preparation for the major operation to free Idlib province.

Field sources reported on Thursday that the army has sent several military convoys, including a large number of armored vehicles, military equipment and mobile bridges to Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, in the past few days.

The army is due to use the mobile bridges to move tanks and armored vehicles over the ditches dug by the terrorists and cross the Asi river in Western Idlib.

Meantime, the Syrian army has dispatched military equipment to the mountainous areas in Lattakia and strengthened its positions there. Also, a large number of forces and military equipment have been sent to Southeastern Idlib and Sahl al-Iqab in Northwestern Hama.

Field reports said the Syrian army wants to liberate all regions occupied by the terrorists from Northern and Western Hama and Northern Lattakia to Idlib province and all regions in Western and Southern Aleppo.

Also in the past 24 hours, new military convoys of the Turkish army arrived in Idlib amid Syrian army's preparations to launch massive military operations to free the province.

Field sources reported on Thursday that the Turkish army dispatched a military convoy, consisting of 15 military vehicles to Northern Syria through Kafr Lousin passageway.

They added that the convoy also included truckloads of Turkish army soldiers and officers and building blocks transferred to the Turkey-occupied region in the town of Mourak.

According to the report, also another military convoy of the Turkish army, which included several military vehicles, was sent to the town of al-Sarman in Eastern Idlib.

The developments came as the Syrian army is preparing for a major fight in Idlib and is sending large volums of military equipment to its positions.

Also, over 800 members of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at terrorist group defected to another al-Qaeda-affiliated but smaller organization as rifts are widening among the militants in Northern Syria.

Sources affiliated to the terrorists reported on Thursday that commander of Tahrir al-Sham in Jabal al-Zawiyah region in Idlib province along with 800 militants defected from the terrorist group and joined Horras al-Din group that is a smaller alliance of al-Qaeda groups and operates in Southern Idlib and Northern Hama.

They also underlined that gaps are widening among Tahrir al-Sham members on keeping or dissolving the terrorist coalition.

Reports from Ankara claim that the Turkish army is attempting to dissolve Tahrir al-Sham coalition to claim absence of Al-Qaeda terrorists in the North and prevent the Syrian army's military operations in Idlib.

Sweida

The Syrian army advanced in ISIL's last stronghold in the Eastern Badiyeh (desert) of Sweida, repelling the terrorists' attack to break the siege on Taloul al-Safa region.

The Syrian army forces engaged in clashes with the terrorists in the Northeastern parts of Taloul al-Safa in Eastern Badiyeh of Sweida on Thursday, meeting their comrades who were advancing from West of the region.

Field sources reported that the Syrian army forces advanced for over 1.5km in mountainous areas in Taloul al-Safa, regaining control of several regions.

Meantime, the artillery and missile units of the Syrian army targeted the terrorists' positions and moves in the region, killing a number of militants and holding captive several others.

Also, the army troops engaged in heavy clashes with the ISIL terrorists who had attacked the army position in East of Tal al-Zarin in Badiyeh of Sweida, leaving a large number of terrorists dead and wounded and repulsing their offensive.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian army forces continued military operations to purge the terrorists from Eastern Badiyeh (desert) of Sweida, cornering terrorists in two disconnected areas.

The army forces continued clashes with the terrorists in the Eastern Badiyeh of Sweida on Thursday, regaining control of Hawieh Awaz, Wadi al-Halawah, Qadir al-Sous, Hawieh al-Rasin in Southeastern Damascus.

The Syrian army troops also continued to advance in Badiyeh, cleansing Tal al-Daras and Kharibat Awaz regions of terrorists.

During the operations, a large number of militants were killed and wounded and several of their positions and bases were destroyed.

Meantime, field sources reported that the Syrian army has driven a wedge between Taloul al-Safa region and Raqilah hills, occupied by terrorists, separating them in the North from the South.

Raqqa

At least 40 ISIL terrorists were released from the Kurdish forces' prisons in Raqqa, different sources said, adding that several trucks of aid have also been sent by the Kurds to the ISIL in Deir Ezzur.

According to Fars News Agancy, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday that the Kurdish forces freed 40 ISIL militants from their jails in the town of Tal Abyadh in Northern Raqqa.

It added that the Kurdish commanders received thousands of dollars for the freedom of the terrorists, noting that the ISIL militants have been transferred to an unknown place after release.

Meantime, the London-based pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that a number of trucks carrying foodstuff were sent by the Kurdish forces to the regions occupied by the ISIL in the Eastern parts of the Euphrates through al-Sha'afah passageway.

Hama

The Syrian army killed tens of terrorists and destroyed their drone during artillery and missile attacks on Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group's moves and positions in Hama.

The Syrian army units launched heavy attacks on the bases of Tahrir al-Sham and other affiliated terrorist groups West of the town of al-Latamineh and the villages of al-Jisat, al-Janaberah, Hasraya and Kafr Zita in Northern Hama on Thursday.

The army's artillery and missile attacks also targeted the moves of the Turkistani group in the two towns of al-Ziyarah and al-Mashik in Eastern Sahl al-Iqab.

Also, field sources reported that during the attacks, tens of terrorists were killed and wounded and several of their vehicles and military equipment were smashed.

The army troops also could destroy a bomber drone belonging to the terrorists in regions near the town of al-Saqilabiyeh in Northern Hama.

Aleppo

Over 35 people, including Turkish soldiers and militant commanders, were killed and injured in a huge blast in Afrin which is under the occupation of Ankara and its affiliated militants.

Field sources in Afrin reported on Thursday that a bomb was detonated near the Nowrouz square in Rajou road in Central Afrin on Wednesday afternoon, killing and wounding over 35 militants and a number of civilians.

Kurdish sources said that 3 Turkish soldiers and one of Faylaq al-Sham terrorist commanders were among those killed in the attack, adding that the Turkish army and militants have called for help from A'azaz hospital.

Meantime, heavy clashes between Sultan Mohammad al-Fattah militants and other terrorists affiliated to the Turkish army near Kava al-Hadad square in Central Afrin killed fighters from both sides.

Also, reports said that Ferqat al-Hamzeh and Faylaq al-Sham terrorists detained over 21 civilians in the town of Ein Dareh and the village of Borj Haidar in Southern Afrin.

Tensions and insecurities in Afrin have heightened after its occupation by the Turkish army and affiliated militants.

Also in the past 24 hours, tens of Turkish army forces and affiliated militants were killed and injured in the Kurdish militias' military operations in Afrin in Aleppo province in the past two days.

The Kurdish units reported in a statement on Thursday that they engaged in clashes with Ferqat al-Hamzeh terrorists in the village of Ba'iyeh in Sharan region in Afrin, killing 10 militants.

Meantime, the Kurdish forces detonated a bomb during a gathering of militants affiliated to the Turkish army in Ba'iyeh, killing 5 terrorists and destroying their vehicle.

Also, explosion of two bombs on the road linking Ba'iyeh and Kafr Nabu in Afrin killed 4 Ankara-backed militants, including a commander of Faylaq al-Sham terrorist group.

According to the report, several other militants supported by the Turkish army were also wounded in the operations.

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