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On Thursday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies captured Kukab Swaid and Abu Dali villages in the eastern Hama countryside pocket, according to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria. Furthermore, the SAA captured Rasm Hamidah and al-Habrah al-Garbiah villages in the same area.
The ISIS-linked news agency Amaq announced that ISIS fighters launched a counter attack on SAA positions north of Uqayribat town in the eastern Hama countryside.
Amaq claimed that 8 SAA soldiers were killed in the attack and ISIS recaptured Massud village north of Uqayribat. Amaq also claimed that ISIS fighters destroyed a tank of the SAA and damaged another one after targeting them with ATGMs northeast of Uqayribat town. However, pro-government sources denied that ISIS recaptured any positions in the eastern Hama countryside.
The northern part of the eastern Hama pocket is expected to fall into the SAA hands in the coming days. Many pro-government sources reported that the remaining ISIS units in the pocket suffered from massive loses in the last few days.
