On December 30, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a surprise attack against positions of Jaysh al-Islam in the towns of al-Nashabiyah and al-Bilaliyah in the southern part of Eastern Ghouta, according to Syrian pro-government sources. Initially, the SAA captured several positions of Jaysh al-Islam around al-Nashabiyah.
Only few hours later, Jaysh al-Islam announced that its fighters were able to recapture three of the positions they had lost around al-Nashabiya. Seven soldiers of the SAA were killed by Jaysh al-Islam during the clashes in al-Nashabiya, according to the Jaysh al-Islam media wing.
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Moreover, Jaysh al-Islam claimed that the SAA used chlorine gas during its attack on the town of al-Bilaliyah. However, as usual the Islamist group didn’t provide any evidence to support its claims.
The SAA attack is likely aimed at punishing Jaysh al-Islam. The Damascus government usually holds Jaysh al-Islam accountable for any attacks against the SAA in Eastern Ghouta. This policy likely includes the attack of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement on the Armored Vehicles base, which was resumed on December 29.
On December 30, Syrian oppositions sources claimed that Ahrar al-Sham Movement went on and captured Ajami neighborhood near the Armored Vehicles base, around Harasta district. However, these claims were not confirmed by Ahrar al-Sham officials.
From its side, the SAA continued repelling the Ahrar al-Sham Movement attack on the Armored Vehicles Base, according to pro-government activists. The SAA also reinforced its positions inside the base with several units of the Qalamun Shield Forces.
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Meanwhile, Syrian warplanes bombed several positions of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement around the Armored Vehicles Base, and in Harasta district. The SAA even targeted a headquarter of the movement in Harasta district with a Soviet-made OTR-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missile.
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The recent development in Eastern Ghouta suggests that the de-escalation agreement there has failed once again, mainly because of the aggressive behavior of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement.
as long as ameritards are illegally occupying syria with their fake sense of security – it is like having satan as one’s neighbour
If man terminates rats with cyanide why not use chlorine against these scumbags. The SAA doesnt, but i think all means and methods are allowed to get rid of this filth
The countermeasures are too easy, which is why gas warfare is banned.
These sunnis scums don’t seem to understand that they are just using by USA but USA will never give them power. So, I always wondered what are they doing except being useful idiots.
Is here anybody who can explain to me why SAA didn’t attack al- nashabiya a long time ago. It looks to me like an important town in the East of the pocket and the SAA was attacking the pocket from this site quiet wel one year ago and than the stopped and focussed on the western site.
E. Ghouta was under “cessation of hostilities” regime since August 2017. There has been great efforts undertaken towards full scale reconciliation, however, some groups have done their best to undermine any reconciliation by initiating hostilities, both against SAA and other militant groups.
Even if they push militants out of Nashabiya; Douma, Zamalka, Irbin, Ayn Terma, Jobar create a gigantic urban maze, where fighting would be the most difficult and most costly, so reconciliation process is clearly the way to go, although it has its own weaknesses.
Electron thank you fore youre reaction, but what i really mean was this sitiation when this was happing. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/4/42/20161015003909%21Rif_Damashq.svg. i follow this war fore many years but i can’t understand when SAA at that moment didn’t push further cause it gifs them the possibllity to make the pocket much smaller and reduces them from farming. It could help the point from what your’e saying here above. Sorry but my english is not the best when i try to write
There must not be any de-escalation in Estaer Ghouta. SAA must take the area totally and to eliminate all the therrorist, without any agreement at all.
These attacks are but the jolting of US/nato CPR being applied to its ISIS corpse.
Once the SAA get a grip in the south, the small pockets of terrorists in the north and east will most likely see more aerial attacks coming their way.
At which point these committed nato warrior proxies will do what every self respecting ISIS fanatic does when faced with impossible odds…….and surrender. This time, without keeping their weapons.
No prospect of western pipelines through Syria and no western controlled Syrian central bank. No pulling the forelock to isreali psychopaths or maniacal saudi headchoppers.
US/nato arse-kickers must be furious.