On July 29, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continued its advance in northern Hama, recapturing the key village of Jibeen from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies.
Pro-government sources said that SAA units stormed Jibeen in the early hours of the morning. Following few hours of clashes, the army was able to fully secure the town.
A day earlier, the SAA recaptured the nearby town of Tell Meleh and its hill top in a surprise ground operation. HTS and its allies imposed control of Tell Meleh and Jibeen in early July.
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According to initial reports, HTS and its allies of Turkish-backed and al-Qaeda-affiliate factions suffered from heavy losses during the clashes in Jibeen and Tell Meleh. However, details are still not available.
Russian and Syrian warplanes are currently pounding militant’s positions in towns of al-Lataminah and Kafr Zita. The SAA could develop its operation in the upcoming few hours and storm the two towns. Such a step would be a major blow to HTS and its allies.
