Syrian Army Purges Terrorists from 1000 sq/km of Territories in Hama, Idlib

The Syrian Army continued its mop-up operations to purge the demilitarized zone in Northern Syria of terrorists, and regained full control of over 30 regions there.

News ID: 446623

Date: 16 August 2019 - 09:53

RNA - The Syrian Army continued its mop-up operations to purge the demilitarized zone in Northern Syria of terrorists, and regained full control of over 30 regions there.

Idlib, Hama

The Syrian Documents Center news website reported that the Syrian Army has liberated 34 towns and villages covering an area of 1000 square kilometers in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib.

It, meantime, pointed to the Syrian Army advances deep inside the demilitarized zone to reopen Aleppo-Damascus Road, and said that the government troops have tightened the noose on Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in the city of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib.

Also in the past 24 hours, the Syrian Army came closer to capturing areas North of Hama province after its recent advances in Southern Idlib that have expanded its rule to areas very close to the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops engaged in fierce clashes with terrorists from al-Hobait in Southern Idlib and took control of Tal A’as heights and the town of Kafar Ain to West of Khan Sheikhoun.

Meantime, the Arabic-language website of the Russian Sputnik news agency reported that the Syrian and Russian air forces conducted several airstrikes on the terrorists’ centers in Khan Sheikhoun as well as the terrorists' movements near Khan Sheikhoun.

A battlefield source also said that the Syrian Army troops are presently seven kilometers to the West of Khan Sheikhoun on al-Hobait road and six kilometers to the East of Khan Sheikhoun on al-Sakik road.

"Once the Syrian Army units shake hands along these two roads, they could win control over the regions in Northern Hama after eight years of war," he added.

Also, on Wednesday, the Syrian Army kept up the momentum of its offensive advances in the Northern province of Idlib, and expanded its rule to the regions only 3 kilometers away from the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun.

The Syrian Army troops, backed by artillery and missile fire, continued their clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at terrorists on al-Hobait Road to the West of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib and captured the towns of Um Zeitouneh, Kharbeh Morshed and al-Mantar.

Army officers said government troops have expanded their presence to areas only three kilometers to Khan Sheikhoun from the West, and said are advancing towards al-Salam Station at the gates of the strategic city.

They pointed to the strategic importance of Khan Sheikhoun, and reminded that the city that links Eastern Idlib to the Western and Northern parts of the province is seen as the gate to the capture of Idlib city.

"Once, Khan Sheikhoun is captured, the grounds will be paved for the Syrian army to reopen the crucial Aleppo-Damascus road and further advance towards other strategic regions, including al-Tah, Kafar Sajneh and Ma'aret al-Numan," they stated.

Deir Ezzur

Thousands of ISIL terrorists have been transferred from areas under their control in Deir Ezzur to Hasaka and Raqqa provinces and thousands of others have been taken to al-Tanf military base and received training there in line with Washington’s plan to revive the ISIL in Eastern Syria.

The Arabic-language website of the Russian Sputnik news agency quoted Kurdish sources in Hasaka province as saying that Washington is trying to once again revive the ISIL terrorists in Eastern Euphrates.

The Kurdish sources reiterated that the US has transferred thousands of ISIL terrorists from Baghouz region in Eastern Deir Ezzur to other parts of the province as well as Raqqa and Hasaka provinces.

“Meantime, the Ovais Qarani Brigade terrorists who are the most important ally of the ISIL terrorist group and the security branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been stationed in Raqqa,” they added.

The sources said that the US Army has transferred thousands of other ISIL terrorists from different regions, including Deir Ezzur, Hasaka, Damascus outskirts, Houz al-Yarmouk in Dara’a and Taloul al-Safa in Sweida’s Badiyeh (desert), to al-Tanf military base in Eastern Syria and has been training them.

"Whenever asked, the US army introduces these ISIL militants under its training under different names and labels such as Maghavir al-Thura, Asvad al-Sharqieh or the new Syrian army," they concluded.

Aleppo

At least 91 Turkish Army officers, soldiers and Ankara-backed militants have been killed and injured in the Kurdish militias' recent military operations in Afrin in Northwestern Aleppo, the Kurdish-language media outlets claimed.

According to Fars News Agancy, the Kurdish-language Hawar News website reported that the Kurdish militias conducted 14 military operations against the Turkish Army and its allied terrorists in the first ten days of August in Afrin which killed at least 72 Turkish Army officers and soldiers as well as the Ankara-backed militants, including 10 Turkish Army soldiers and 19 others injured, including two Turkish Army officers and six soldiers.

It noted that the Kurdish militias also destroyed six armored and military vehicles carrying military equipment and two motorcycles of the Turkish Army and its allied militants.

Eastern Euphrates

Kurdish sources in Syria say that the US has initiated a rigid move in collaboration with Turkey to undermine the Kurdish militants and force them to leave parts of Northern Syria.

The sources were quoted by the Arabic-language website of Sputnik as saying on Wednesday that the Kurds have sent three separate delegations to Damascus, Moscow and Cairo to find a way out of the quagmire created by Washington for them.

They added that the US has worked out a scheme to aggravate enmities between Turkey and the Kurds and launched a coup against them, moving in line with Turkey in common plans in Eastern Euphrates region.

The sources said that the US used the Syrian tribes that are supported by certain Persian Gulf Arab states as a replacement for the Kurds as they could better advance Washington's goals without threatening Turkey's interests.

They also revealed that the US is attempting to revive the ISIL in Eastern Euphrates to be used against the Syrian army.

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