Syrian government forces bring military reinforcements into Aleppo
North-Press Agency
As fighting continues between the Syrian governmental forces and the armed opposition groups and other Jihadi groups in north-west of Syria, the Syrian government forces continue to bring military reinforcements into Aleppo governorate, in preparation for the start of an upcoming military operation.
The Syrian government's newspaper al-Watan quoted a military source, saying: "The Syrian forces have brought their military reinforcements into Aleppo, in preparation for the start of a military operation expected at any moment aimed at securing the city, and opening a new axis of operations to control sections of Aleppo-Hama highway, the M5.”
The source indicated that the Syrian army has brought new military reinforcements consisting of tanks, artillery and soldiers to the lines of contact of the western fronts of Aleppo, which have been a source of suffering for the residents of the city, whose neighborhoods are constantly targeted by the armed opposition groups.
He pointed out that the army has reinforced its positions in the axis of the towns of al-Hadder and Khalsa in southern Aleppo countryside, which is enough to open a new fighting axis along Aleppo-Hama highway, in order to reach and extend the influence to important towns located on the M5 highway leading to Saraqeb, such as Khan Touman, al-Zerba, Sheikh Ahmed, Adda, al-Iss, Tal-Hadya and ICARDA, reaching to the town of Khan al-Asal on the outskirts of the western entrance of Aleppo.
According to the newspaper, this will allow the control over the areas of the armed opposition groups in eastern and south-eastern Idlib countryside, especially with the opening of Abu al-Dhohor axis in southeastern Idlib, as well as controlling over important areas in eastern Maarat al-Numan countryside, thereby expanding the Syrian Army’s influence over more than one point on M5 highway, before the final control over the towns of Maarat al-Numan, Saraqeb and Khan al-Soubl.
According to the same source, the Syrian forces took advantage of the prevailing weather conditions to target positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham HTS (previously al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra) by artillery in various areas of southern, eastern and south-eastern Idlib countryside.
On the same level, amid the usual calmness and the absence of the Syrian and Russian fighter jets from the airspace of the de-escalation zones this morning, the city of Maarat al-Numan and its surroundings witnessed a missile strike by the Syrian forces.
On the other hand, pro-Syrian opposition websites reported the mobilization of the Syrian opposition's "National Army" all its military fronts in Aleppo countryside, after the military reinforcement of the Syrian government forces in the area.
“The option of resistance is the only option to defend the region," said Yousef Hammoud, the spokesman of the Turkish-backed “National Army” umbrella group.