Syrian Army Preempts Terrorists' Attacks from Demilitarized Zone

Rasa - The Syrian army's artillery and missile units pounded terrorist groups' movements in the demilitarized zone in Northern Hama on Wednesday and preempted their attack on government forces' positions.

News ID: 441794

Date: 30 November 2018 - 13:12

RNA - The Syrian army's artillery and missile units pounded terrorist groups' movements in the demilitarized zone in Northern Hama on Wednesday and preempted their attack on government forces' positions.

Hama

The army units, deployed in the village of al-Jabin North of the town of Mahradah in Northern Hama, launched artillery attack on the movements of a group of terrorists in Hasraya, inflicting major losses on them and preempting their offensive.

Other artillery units pounded terrorists' movements from South of the town of al-Latamina in the demilitarized zone towards the army positions and imposed heavy casualties on them, preempting their imminent attack.

In the meantime, terrorists' bases near the town of Morek in Northern Hama came under the army's artillery attack after militants opened fire at the government forces' positions.

Other units of the army managed to repel a heavy attack of a group of terrorists in Northwestern Hama, killing the entire militants and damaging their military hardware.

Meanwhile, field sources in Southeastern Idlib reported that tens of families left militant-held regions for the regions that are under the army's control via Abu al-Dhohour passageway on the first day of its reopening.

Idlib

Despite the ongoing peace talks in Astana, the Syrian government and militants have not yet halted their hostilities inside the Idlib buffer zone.

According to a military source in the government stronghold of Mhardeh, the Syrian Arab Army carried out a powerful attack against a group of jihadist rebels that were attempting to deploy more of their fighters in the buffer zone area near the Idlib-Hama axis, the AMN reported.

In response, the members of Jeish al-Izzah heavily targeted the Syrian Arab Army’s positions near Mhardeh, causing several explosions that could be heard from as far South as Hama city.

Also in the past 24 hours, tens of people have thus far left militant-held regions in Northwestern Syria via Abu al-Dhohour humanitarian corridor in Southeastern Idlib after the army reopened the corridor, local sources reported.

The sources reported that the army reopened Abu al-Dhohour corridor after heavy fighting with Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) on Tuesday to pave the ground for civilians' relocation from militant-held regions in Idlib province to regions that are under the army's control.

In the meantime, Russian sources said that reopening of the corridor has been carried out in coordination between the Syrian and Russian forces, adding that the corridor will be open till December 2nd.

It further said that a large number of people have flocked to Southeastern Idlib to leave the region via the corridor for safer regions under the army's control.

Meanwhile, SANA reported that tens of families have exited Idlib via the corridor, adding that the fleeing people will be resettled in their former residential regions in Hama, Aleppo and Idlib.

It went on to say that the Syrian authorities have provided the fleeing people with food, medical care, suitable clothes and other necessary facilities.

Also on Wednesday, two groups of terrorists are currently clashing in Eastern Idlib in Northwestern Syria, with both sides exchanging heavy gunfire and artillery.

According to the reports, an unnamed jihadist faction and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at began clashing inside the large town of Sarmin, prompting both sides to exchange hostilities for several hours, massdar news reported.

The reason for the infighting was not mentioned, nor was the group who started the clashes.

Aleppo

Arab tribes, in a statement on Wednesday, declared their opposition to continued forced recruitment by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Manbij region in Northeastern Syria.

The Arab tribes issued a statement and firmly condemned the SDF's forced conscription of young men, saying that they will not allow their sons to join the militia.

The tribes also demanded a general strike to grow more united against the SDF.

A fresh wave of anger has covered the Arab tribes in the region as the SDF casualties in battle with ISIL includes 98 percent Arab fighters and only 2 percent Kurdish gunmen.

According to Fars News Agancy, the Arab tribes' opposition rose after the SDF announced that young men between the ages of 18-30 have to join the militia, or will be legally prosecuted.

Also in the past 24 hours, a tough battle broke out between the Syrian Army and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at in the Southern countryside of Aleppo, a military source said.

According to the military source, the clashes broke out near the strategic town of Khan Touman, which is located along the Aleppo-Idlib Highway (M-5 Highway), massdar news reported.

The military source said that the cause of the hostilities was an attack by the jihadist rebels.

Tensions have been recently rising in Southern Aleppo after the Syrian Army accused the jihadist rebels of launching a chemical weapons attack in the Western part of the provincial capital.

Raqqa

The US-led Coalition has constructed a new military base in the Northern countryside of the Al-Raqqa province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.

According to the report, the US-led Coalition constructed a base in the Tal Abyadh countryside, which is located just South of the Turkish border, the AMN reported.

The move by the Coalition comes just days after the Turkish military mobilized a large number of their infantry personnel and rebel allies along the borders of the Aleppo and Al-Raqqa provinces.

The Coalition already constructed five observation posts between the Aleppo and Al-Raqqa provinces; this has angered Turkey because they view this as Washington’s attempt to block their future military operation East of the Euphrates River.

Despite the US’ decision to build the observation posts, it appears Turkey is not backing down, as they continue to send reinforcements to the border in preparation for a new military operation.

847/940