Click to see the full-size mapSyria
Government forces have achieved a major breakthrough in their battle against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda), Ahrar al-Sham, and other ‘moderate’ opposition groups that is now ongoing in the northern countryside of the Syrian city of Hama.
Since yesterday. the Syrian army’s Tiger Forces, the 5th Legion, the National Defense Forces and other pro-government units have regained Khirbat al-Hajamah, Zawr al Bala, Bakhira, Arzeh, Balhiseen, Majdal, Tell Bijo and Khattab.
Thus, Suran and Maardas remained the only areas that government forces have to liberate from militants to reverse all gains of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led forces achieved in the area in March.
The Thursday video provides a look from the strategic Zayn al-Abdeen Mount which is controlled by government forces. The control over this mount allowed pro-government units to inflict major casualties to militants during the clashes for Qomhanah:
Was bound to happen, SAA needs a force apart from the Tigers who are able to respond to such attacks that are used to distract the main fighting force. I understand that there are manpower issues, but this is an issue that all parties are facing at the moment.
The desert hawks or republican guards?
The latter seem to be already tied up in Deir Ezzor and Damascus. Last I heard of the Desert Hawks was that they were in the Palmyra area.
are the ISIS hunters in palmyra too?
Yes Desert Hawks, for that to happen, they need to have priority in airstrikes when needed and the 5th legion and ISIS Hunters can take their place in Palmyra when they are trained enough. For the full force of reaching Deir ezzor, you need all that you can get, keeping the Hawks behind and well equipped in an area that they can manoeuvre easily, but hey, I am no general!!
true, SAA needs to keep its most important areas like damascus, palmyra, other strategic locations very well protected, while also having enough strength to retake other areas, but this is easier said than done, im sure :/
Yes Desert Hawks, for that to happen, they need to have priority in airstrikes when needed and the 5th legion and ISIS Hunters can take their place in Palmyra when they are trained enough. For the full force of reaching Deir ezzor, you need all that you can get, keeping the Hawks behind and well equipped in an area that they can manoeuvre easily, but hey, I am no general!
The US got their will. They had their little terrorists from Idlib create a major distraction in Hamas so SAA would slow down the advance on Raqqa.
Well said. You nailed it down. Unless the Iranians step up to the plate and bring at least 10,000 soldiers, Syria would have irretrievably lost its eastern territories to US/Israel influence before July 01, 2017. One can clearly see the pattern. Bog down the SAA in Hama, Gouth , Daraa and north of Palmyra so that US and its local stooges can move on to ” liberate” eastern Syria from ISIS which at this point has become a disposable liability. As much as hate to do it, I have to command the US/ Jewish planners for this Machiavellian master plan which is about to bear fruits for them. Sad for Assad and its allies.
It appears that Syria and Russia are not too concerned over the Kurds and US territorial gain. They could have easily bombed the surrounding Raqqa districts and sent in some soldiers. Doubt if the Kurds would have attacked them because that would have been a declaration of war against the Syrian government. There is more to this saga than what is being let out.
They tried to move towards Tabqah and got their asses handed to them a few months ago. Not sure how you can say “They could have easily bombed the surrounding Raqqa districts and sent in some soldiers”
Raqqa is a big city and ISIS has manpower there, the SAA would never be able to take it because they would need a year to do it and in the meantime they would be attacked elsewhere. They just wanted to get to Tabqah and pretend to take part in the siege. They took too long, they don’t have the US backing them with huge airpower and with boots on the ground.
to have soldiers in the vicinity is not taking Raqqa, it has to do with soldiers who represent the government occupying their territorial rights. Kurds wouldn’t attack them nor would the US because that would be a declaration of war. Kurds can’t afford having Turkey and Syria fighting them with the US in the middle and being just dead weight.
Wouldn’t put too much faith in the US, as a fighting force they next to useless and most likely end up dropping bombs on themselves.
Zionist planners, they aren’t Jewish.
You will find that Syrian has a different plan, they are approaching from the south west to Raqqa and will retake the entire Eastern districts towards the Iraqi border south of Hasakah. Kurds claiming Raqqa and easterly districts would then be sandwiched between Syrian military occupied area to the Turks who in turn will attack the Kurds. US won’t be able to do anything. Kurds will then have to seek Syrian government protection which they are entitled to since they are Syrian citizens.
Don’t forget who is controlling the head of ISIS. They will stand strong where they have to and weak where they have to.
And now on to Khan Shikhoun. As long as this sailliant exists the headchoppers will be tempted to launch yet another offensive towards Hama at the worst possible moment. They did it twice in a year’s time already.
This is good to see.
That’s a pretty good size advance within the last day.
I was worried that the lines would not move much.
Hopefully the Jihadi slimbags suffered many casualties.
If the SAA can’t get to Tabqa or regain raqqa because us proxy won’t turn it over, then they might as well assault idlib. But SAA needs to at least try to walk into tabqa, and force the proxy force to reveal themselves as enemies. The charade needs to end.