Military escalation causes casualties in NW Syria
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – The de-escalation zone in the countryside of Idlib, Aleppo and Latakia in northwestern Syria witnessed, for the third consecutive day, a continuation of intensive mutual shelling between the Syrian government forces and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front).
“The government forces continued their intensive artillery and missile attacks on the villages and towns of Fatterah, Kafr Aweed, Sfohen, Kansafra and the outskirts of al-Bara in Zawiya Mountain, south of Idlib, amid their attempts to advance and regain posts they lost in al-Malaja area in Zawiya Mountain at the beginning of this week,” a military source of the Syrian opposition told North Press.
“The HTS thwarted last night an attempt by Division 25 (Special Tasks) affiliated with the government forces to progress in the al-Malaja, south of Idlib, where the latter tried to progress and regain the posts it lost a few days ago, as the area witnessed violent clashes that were ended with the withdrawal of government forces to their posts,” the source added.
“The government forces also tried this morning to progress in the outskirts of Nahshaba, north of Latakia, amid a preparation of intensive artillery and missile escalation, but the HTS thwarted the attempt and managed to kill and wound more than 12 soldiers”, according to the source.
“A military source within the al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room targeted with artillery and rocket shells posts of the government forces in Kafr Nabl, Ma’arat Harmah, Hazarin and al-Malaja, south of Idlib, and managed to destroy a rocket launcher and a cannon in Ma’arat Harmah”, a source from the al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room reported.
In Hama, pro-government media reported that two soldiers were killed and two others were wounded by a landmine explosion in a car in Salamiyah countryside, east of Hama Governorate, central Syria.
“Units of our armed forces, in cooperation with the Russian warplanes, carried out air and missile strikes on headquarters of terrorist groups affiliated with what is called “Ansar al-Tawhid Group” and the HTS in the southern countryside of Idlib”, the Ministry of Defense of Syria announced.
The Ministry of Defense added, in a statement, that “the strikes resulted in the complete destruction of those headquarters with all their weapons, equipment and ammunition, killing large numbers of terrorists and their leaders, including Mahmoud Sarmini and Mamdouh Alloush from the HTS, and Abu Rayan Muwahh and Abu Qusoura al-Gharbi from Ansar al-Tawhid Group”.