Syria in Past 24 Hours: Army Starts 2nd Phase of Operations in Sweida Desert

The Syrian army started the second phase of its massive assault against terrorists in Sweida desert after sending a new military convoy to the Eastern regions of the province.

News ID: 70791

Date: 17 June 2018 - 15:41

TEHRAN (Defaprss)- Field sources reported on Saturday that the army has sent a large convoy of military equipment to the Eastern desert of Sweida.

They added that the convoy which included several tanks, missile-launchers and vehicles equipped with heavy weapons was sent to Tal Sa'ad, the frontline of battle against the ISIL, through the village of al-Janineh in Northeastern Sweida.

Meantime, the Syrian army units engaged in fierce clashes with the ISIL terrorists in Badiyeh region of Sweida province, including al-Harmieh region.

Also, the army's air force and artillery units pounded the ISIL positions in al-Kara'a, al-Habirieh, Kharbat al-Ambashi and al-Tamthouneh regions, inflicting tolls and damage on them.

Idlib

Tensions, clashes and assassination attempts continue among the terrorist groups in Idlib as reports said that at least 160 people were killed in the past few weeks.

Local sources in Northern Idlib reported on Saturday that a number of terrorists were killed and wounded after a bomb exploded in the town of al-Dana.

Also, unknown assailants' attacks in the town of Ma'arat Mesrin in Northern Idlib killed a number of Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) and so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) terrorists.

Meantime, unknown assailants fired at Tahrir al-Sham militants in Idlib, killing at least three of them.

Also, reports said that unknown people attacked and killed one of the police officers of the so-called 'Salvation Government' group, affiliated to Tahrir al-Sham, named Abu al-Kheir at the entrance of the village of Ein Shib in Western Idlib.

Field sources also said that tensions and insecurities have intensified in regions occupied by the terrorists in Idlib, adding that during the clashes and assassination attempts in the past few weeks at least 160 people have been killed.

Hama

The Syrian army pounded the terrorists' bases and positions in response to their offensives against the army points in Northern Hama.

Field sources reported on Saturday that the terrorists stationed in Northern Hama have attacked the army points near Moharedah power plant, the village of al-Safafeh, the town of Souran and Zalin and al-Mayadan checkpoints with missiles.

The army units responded the offensives with precise missile and artillery attacks against the terrorists' positions and moves in the town of al-Latamineh and the village of al-Zakat in Northern Hama.

The terrorists' positions in the town of Kafr Zita and Tal al-Sakhar were also attacked by missile strikes.

Meantime, field sources said that during the operations, several terrorist positions were smashed and a number of militants were killed.

Raqqa

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has set up 2 bases in Eastern Syria to recruit forces with Washington and Riyadh's support and pressure the Syrian army forces' family members.

The Arabic website of Sputnik news agency quoted local sources in Eastern Syria as saying on Saturday that the SDF has established two recruitment centers with the US and Saudi support, trying to coax the young people into joining the SDF by paying a monthly salary of 115,000 Syrian liras.

They also revealed that the SDF has taken hostage a number of Syrian army soldiers who had visited the Kurdish-occupied lands in Raqqa to see their family members.

The SDF also threatened the families with detention if their sons join the army.

The sources also said that the US forces have signed a deal with the Kurds to protect their 11 bases in the oil-rich regions, including 7 bases in Deir Ezzur, 4 in Raqqa, al-Shadadi, Tal Borak and Hasaka.

Meantime, new advanced French missile-launchers and artilleries have been transferred to the US bases in oil fields in Eastern Deir Ezzur.

Homs

The US occupying forces are attempting to open different ways to transfer terrorists between al-Tanf, Deir Ezzur and Homs by contacting the tribes in Eastern Syria for cooperation, media sources reported on Saturday.

The Arabic website of Sputnik news agency quoted tribal sources in Eastern Syria as saying that the US forces transfer the ISIL terrorists from the desert region bordering Iraq to al-Tanf through al-Sukhneh in Homs.

Meantime, one of the prominent tribal leaders in Eastern Syria revealed that Mohannad al-Tala, a US proxy and commander of the so-called New Syrian Forces group in the US base in al-Tanf, has contacted the Syrian tribes, calling on them to open a passage for the terrorists to leave al-Tanf for Deir Ezzur to reach al-Omar oil field.

He added that the US forces fear uprisings by the people in Eastern Syria, noting that one of their goals to approach the tribes is to keep deployment in the region as Washington attempts to win the cooperation of the tribes in Manbij, Hasaka and Deir Ezzur have all failed.

Meantime, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has freed its militant inmates and sent them to the battlefield to attack al-Tanf-Sukhneh road in Homs and open a passageway and the Jordan road to al-Tanf.

The US forces had in the past 10 days been busy with transferring the ISIL terrorists with at least 10 armored trucks and heavy artillery to attack Albu Kamal from Abu Hameseh in Hasaka.

Aleppo

A number of terrorists were killed during heavy infighting among the militants backed by the Turkish army in the town of A'azaz in Northern Aleppo.

Local sources in A'azaz at the borders with Turkey reported on Saturday that a number of terrorists were killed and wounded during fierce clashes between the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) militants and other terrorists called the 'Free Police'.

They added that the clashes have imposed panic and horror among the civilians in the region.

Meantime, the FSA-affiliated Asefeh al-Shamal Brigade detained a number of militants who had engaged in clashes.

Also in the past 24 hours, at least 15 Turkish army soldiers and Ankara-backed militants were killed in the Kurdish fighters' operations in Afrin in Northern Aleppo.

The Kurdish-language Hawar news reported on Saturday that during the Kurds' operations, a vehicle belonging to the Turkish army was exploded on Kimara-Baradeh road in Shirava region in Afrin in Northern Aleppo, killing 3 Turkish forces.

The Kurdish forces also detonated an armored vehicle of Ankara-backed militants near the village of Khaletah in the Center of Afrin.

Also, a military vehicle carrying the Turkish army forces and their affiliated militants to help the injured in Khaletah explosion was destroyed by the Kurds. At least 12 Turkish soldiers and militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) were killed in the blast.

Clashes between the Turkish army and Kurdish forces still continue in Afrin 2 months after Ankara occupied the strategic town.

Dara'a

The Syrian army forces will soon start their military operations in the South after the terrorists opposed the government-proposed peace plan to leave the region.

Field sources reported on Saturday that the army has sent a large number of soldiers and military equipment to the areas near al-Lajah region in Northeastern Dara'a.

They added that the army is strengthening its military power in Dara'a, noting that the operations against the terrorists are imminent as their commanders have rejected the peace plan.

The army has prepared nearly 35,000 of its forces along with the most modern and heavy weapons and artillery to launch a massive assault to free Southern Syria.

According to the sources, the army's military operations will be conducted in several stages and will spread from Dara'a al-Balad region in Dara'a city to the West, North and East of Dara'a as well as Northern Sweida.

Meantime, a military source said that the Syrian army will start its military operations with the aim of surrounding and isolating the terrorists and then liberating al-Lajah region and the areas between the two towns of Rakham and Northern al-Karak in Eastern Dara'a which is considered as one of the largest regions occupied by the terrorists in Southern Syria.

Deir Ezzur

A number of civilians were killed and wounded again in the US-led coalition's airstrikes in Deir Ezzur, Eastern Syria.

Field sources in Eastern Deir Ezzur reported on Saturday that the US fighter jets pounded the residential areas in the town of al-Souseh on Friday, killing at least 3 civilians and wounding a number of others.

They added that a number of the wounded people are in critical conditions, adding that the attacks have also inflicted huge damage on civilian properties.

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