Syrian Army Preempts Terrorists' Offensives from Demilitarized Zone in Hama, Idlib

The army's artillery units, deployed in the small town of Journ in Northern Hama, pounded the movements and positions of Turkistani Islamic Party in the demilitarized zone in al-Ziyarah and al-Sarmayniyah, inflicting major losses on them.

In the meantime, other artillery and missile units shelled the positions of Tahrir al-Sham in the villages and small towns of Latmin, al-Sayad, Kafr Zita, regions near Morek, Ma'arkabah and al-Janabarah in Northern Hama and in al-Sarmaniyah region in Wester al-Ghaab plain.

Also, other artillery units opened fire at Tahrir al-Sham's gatherings in the small towns of Sahal, Farjah, al-Khowein, al-Moshayrafah, Um Jalala, Tal Khaznah, al-Loweibadah, Skeik and al-Mahjourah Battalion Base in Southeastern Idlib, damaging several positions and a large quantity of military equipment, including missile launchers and also vehicles carrying heavy weapons, the Syria's leading al-Watan daily reported.

Meanwhile, Head of Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria Major General Sergei Lomotiln reported that the terrorists launched mortar attacks on Beit Siwan, Wabayer, Safsafah and Boshrafah in Lattakia province, killing 3 Syrian soldiers and injuring 9 more. 

The terrorists' refusal to implement the Sochi Agreement to establish a demilitarized zone is pushing the army to initiate its long-waited assault on militants in Idlib that had been put on hold due to the Sochi Agreement.

Colonel Mar'ei Hamdan, a Syrian military expert, was quoted by the Arabic-language website of Sputnik news agency as saying last month that Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) is in control of nearly 70% of towns and villages in Idlib province and makes provocative moves against the Syrian army, adding that the army's commitment to decrease tensions is not lasting forever.

He added that the Syrian army has so far repelled all attacks by terrorists against its positions and inflicted heavy damages on them, noting that the army is now necessitated to come out of the defensive mood to retake control of Idlib.

Hamdan said that Tahrir al-Sham will resort to a full-scale military operation against the Syrian and Russian armies soon, after rejecting the Sochi agreement last October, which leaves no room for ceasefire or disarmament anymore, and underlined that the Syrian army's battle against Tahrir al-Sham is inevitable.

Meantime, the Turkey-backed Ahrar al-Sham and National Liberation Front (NLF) terrorist groups has also dismissed the Russian-Turkish Sochi agreement and is preparing for military operations against the army in Northern Syria, calling for a coalition with Tahrir al-Sham.

Tahrir al-Sham and other allied terrorist groups have not left the demilitarized zone two months after the Sochi agreement and have instead reinvigorated their strongholds and targeted the army positions every day.

Relevant reports said that the Turkey-backed NLF had put its gunmen on alert to launch a heavy offensive against the Syrian army in the demilitarized zone in Idlib province.

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