Alwaght- The Syrian army launched wide-scale airstrikes across the Hama-Idlib axis, targeting militants both.

Led by the Tiger Forces, the Syrian Arab Army began the day by launching several surface-to-surface missiles towards the militant-held positions in the towns of Shahranaz, Kafr Naboudeh, and Qal’at Al-Madiq.

Following the ground assault, the Syrian Air Force began pounding the militant defenses in the Aleppo Governorate towns of Kafr Naha, Khan Al-Assal, and Rashideen.

The Syrian Air Force would then shift their attention to the Hama-Idlib axis, where they struck several areas under the control of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Jaysh Al-Izza.

This was the deepest push by forces allied with Damascus so far this year into Syria’s last major rebel stronghold. The latest activities began April 30, and rebels fear the government may launch a wider offensive to retake the area, AP reported.

Syrian troops intensified their shelling of insurgents in northern parts of Hama province and the southern parts of Idlib, state news agency SANA said. </s> In the morning of May 6, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies started offensive actions against militants deployed in the northwestern part of Hama province.

According to appearing reports, government forces have already liberated the villages of al-Bana and al-Janabira. Pro-militant sources report that the SAA is attacking Tell Ottman amid heavy bombardment of “opposition” positions in the nearby areas.

On May 3, it was revealed that the SAA had deployed at least 2 TOS-1A thermobaric rocket launchers around the militant-held governorate of Idlib.

On May 4, the Russian military released a statement saying that militant groups led by Hayat Tahir al-Sham are working to create a strike force in southern Idlib. According to the statement, there was a real threat that militants may use this strike force to attack government positions in the nearby area.

The May 6 operation may be a response to this threat.
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Filed under: Al Qaeda, Deep State, Nusra Front, SAA, Trump, USA, War on Syria | Tagged: Liberation of Idlib | </s> Syrian government forces have resumed their offensive on the positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and the Turkish-backed Front for National Liberation (NFL).

Over the past two days, units of the Syrian Arab Army and the Tiger Forces have liberated the villages of Qasabiya, Humayrat, Hardanah and Qirutiyah. According to pro-government sources, army troops are now aiming to liberate Meidan Ghazal, Shariya and Deir Sonbol as well as Tal Sakhar, Habit and Abidin.

These settlements are located northwest and east of the town of Kafr Nabudah, a key militant stronghold, which had recently been liberated by the army. The collapse of the militants’ defense there became the main factor allowing government forces to develop their advance.

Multiple Syrian and Russian airstrikes in northern and southern Idlib are being reported by pro-militant sources on a daily basis.

The ongoing army advance was launched on June 3 after a failed attempt to establish a temporary ceasefire in the area last week.

Immediately after the declaration of the ceasefire, units of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the NFL stormed army positions in Kafr Nabudah thus showing their commitment to further hostilities. This predetermined the observed scenario.

According to pro-militant sources, at least 4 pieces of military equipment and over a dozen army troops were killed in the recent clashes. In their turn, government-linked media claim that 8 militants and 2 vehicles were eliminated.

On June 4, Israel’s ImageSat Intl. released a satellite image showing the alleged impact of Israel’s June 2 strike on the T4 airbase in Syria.

The Israeli satellite and data analysis company claimed in its report that the strike had targeted “an element or a few” speculating that they may have been some kind of “advanced weapon system element”. Nonetheless, it was not able to provide evidence to confirm these speculations.

Syria and Iran provided no details as to what kind of infrastructure or weapon systems were targeted in the T4 airbase. Nonetheless, it’s an open secret that Iran uses this airbase for UAV operations across the country.
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Filed under: Al Qaeda, AngloZionist Empire, Nusra Front, SAA, Turkey, USA, War on Syria | Tagged: Hama, Liberation of Idlib | </s> BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:40 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army scored a new advance along the Hama-Idlib axis on Thursday, seizing several sites from the last jihadist rebels in the area.

According to a field report from this front, the Syrian Army began the day by capturing the hilltop of Tal Sayyed and the nearby village of Sayyed.

Following this advance, the Syrian Army would capture several other areas along the Idlib-Hama axis, including Tal Huwayz, Al-Bashir Driving School, and Wadi Al-Anz.

A source near the front-lines told Al-Masdar News that most of the militants that once controlled this area fled north before the Syrian Arab Army closed the pocket.

He added that several militants are still in the pocket, but most are situated near the Turkish Armed Forces at the observation post in the town of Morek.

Since the start of the week, the jihadist rebels have suffered several setbacks at the hands of the Syrian Army; this includes the loss of the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun. </s> Airstrikes in rebel-held northwestern Syria kill at least 8

BEIRUT (AP) — Government forces intensified their bombardment of rebel-held towns and villages in northwest Syria, killing at least eight people Tuesday, including five in an airstrike on a market, opposition activists said.

The new wave of violence that began on April 30 is the worst since September, when Russia and Turkey brokered a cease-fire that averted a government offensive on Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold. The new wave of violence has resulted in hundreds of civilian dead and injured and over 150,000 newly displaced persons, according to the U.N.

Idlib province, that is home of 3 million people many of them displaced from other parts of Syria, is mostly controlled by al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.

The latest wave of violence was triggered by attacks by HTS gunmen that killed dozens of troops.

Opposition-linked first responders, known as the White Helmets, said warplanes bombed a market in the village of Ras el-Ain on Tuesday morning, killing five people, including three children, and wounding 20. White Helmets also said that three other people were killed in the villages of Maar Tamater and Bara.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported airstrikes and shelling on Idlib and northern rebel-held parts of Hama province. It said 13 civilians were killed on Tuesday alone.

The Observatory said insurgents Tuesday attacked army positions in Latakia province on the edge of Idlib killing nine soldiers and pro-government gunmen. The Observatory said three insurgents were killed in the attack.

Syrian state news agency SANA said troops were pounding insurgents' positions "in retaliation for their violations of the truce."

An HTS military commander known as Abu Khaled al-Shami said in comments posted online that the looming battle "will be decisive and we will use all our capabilities that will surprise the enemy."

On Monday, Syrian troops captured the village of al-Bani and the nearby Othman hill in the northern countryside of Hama province. </s> BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) capture of Khan Sheikhoun last Thursday proved to be the nail in the coffin for the militant forces in northern Hama, as just one day later, the military’s high command announced full control over the once militant-held pocket.

Despite claims by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham about defending their northern Hama pocket at all costs, the jihadist group ultimately succumbed to the pressure and fled the pocket before being completely encircled by the Syrian Arab Army.

According to a military source in the area, some militants chose to stay back and try to fend off the Syrian Arab Army attack; however, they ultimately gave us their fight by either surrendering to the military or fleeing to the Turkish observation post at Morek.

As a result of this advance by the Syrian Army, they were able to fully secure their two strongholds, Mhardeh and Al-Sqaylabiyeh, which were constantly targeted by the militants in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate.

With this region captured, the Syrian Arab Army has two choices: attack Ma’arat Al-Nu’man to the north or the Al-Ghaab Plain to the northwest. </s> BEIRUT: Nearly 100 combatants were killed on Friday in clashes between fighters loyal to Syria’s government, rebels and Jihadists in northwestern Syria, a war monitor said.

Starting at dawn on Friday morning -- and after bombing by the regime -- fighting in northern Hama province killed 51 government loyalists and allied militiamen, and 45 among the rebels and Jihadists, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The clashes continued in the afternoon, the Britain-based Observatory said. Backed by its ally Moscow, Damascus has since late April intensified bombardment of much of Idlib province and the parts of neighbouring Hama, Aleppo and Latakia where Syria’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) holds sway.

Fighting has meanwhile taken place on the ground in parts of these anti-regime areas, particularly in northern Hama. Syria’s official Sana news agency also reported bombardment on Friday.

"Units of the army today carried out massive bombing at dawn.... on positions of the terrorist Al-Nusra Front in (and) around the villages of Jibine and Tal Maleh," Sana said, referring to positions held by HTS.

The bombardment led to "the destruction of the terrorists’ fortifications and their lines of defence", it added. They took place in response to attacks against the villages and cities in Hama, the news agency said.

Idlib and parts of neighbouring Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces were supposed to be protected by a buffer zone under an September agreement between Russia and Turkey. But the region has come under increased bombardment by the regime and its Russian ally since HTS seized most of Idlib at the start of the year.

The Turkish defence ministry said on Friday a Turkish soldier was killed and three others were wounded the day before by fire from Syrian government forces against a Turkish observation post in Idlib province. </s> Militants’ defense in southern Idlib and northern Hama has collapsed.

On August 19, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Tiger Forces and their allies backed up by Syrian and Russian air power cut off the M5 highway north of Khan Shaykhun capturing several hills and checkpoints in the area. Late on the same day, government forces overrun militants’ fortifications entering the town.

On August 20, units of the SAA and the Tiger Forces continued clashing with militants in the area. The town is about to fall into the hands of government forces.

According to pro-government sources, militants are currently fleeing their positions in Kafr Zita, Lataminah, Moerk and nearby areas.

Turkey attempted to prevent this scenario by sending a large military convoy (28 pieces of military equipment, including at least 7 battle tanks) accompanied by Turkish-backed militants towards Khan Shaykhun. The plan was to establish so-called observation point near Khan Shaykhun and use Turkish troops as human shields to defend militants there. However, the convoy was not able to reach the target.

The Syrian Air Force carried out several strikes on the convoy path near Heish killing at least one militant field commander and destroying a vehicle armed with machine gun. The Turkish Defense Ministry officially condemned the strikes claiming that 3 civilians were killed and 12 others were injured as a result of the action. Ankara claimed that the convoy was initiated to ensure the safety of Observation Point No. 9, to keep supply routes open and prevent civilian casualties in the region.

Turkey even sent F-16 warplanes to Syrian airspace to defend the convoy, but they were welcomed by Russian fighter jets hovering over the same area and retreated.

The deep cooperation of so-called moderate opposition with terrorist groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and their unwillingness to participate in a proposed peace process predetermined a new round of escalation in the Idlib zone. In the near future, government troops will likely focus on clearing northern Hama.

Filed under: Al Qaeda, Brotherhood, FSA, Nusra Front, Russia, SAA, Syria, Takfiris, Turkey, War on Syria | Tagged: Hama, Khan Sheikhoun, Liberation of Idlib | </s> In a major blow to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has liberated the key town of Khan Shaykhun in southern Idlib.

Pro-government sources confirmed that army units entered Khan Shaykhun in the afternoon of August 21. All militants reportedly fled the town few hours earlier.

Khan Shaykhun, one of the biggest urban centers in southern Idlib, was a key stronghold of HTS. The town is located on a highway linking the Syrian capital, Damascus, with Aleppo, the country’s industrial center.

The SAA is now advancing northeast of Khan Shaykhun towards its positions near the newly-captured village of Tar’i. Army units are also storming the town of Murak, south of Khan Shaykhun.

Meanwhile, the fate of the Turkish observation post in northern Hama remains unclear. Initial reports indicate that it may have been besieged by the SAA.

BEIRUT, LEBANON (6:45 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) has completely cutoff the militants from all supply lines in southern Idlib and northern Hama, a source from the military told Al-Masdar this evening. According to the military source, the Syrian Arab Army forces at the Khan Sheikhoun front has met up with the troops near the town of Al-Ta’manah; thus, completing the encirclement of this region in northwestern Syria. In addition to besieging the militants, the Syrian Arab Army has also cutoff the Turkish military at the Morek observation post from all of its supply roads. The Turkish military will have to coordinate with their Russian allies because they are allowed access to the Hama-Idlib Highway, per the September 17th, 2018 Sochi Agreement. At this time, the Syrian Arab Army is still clearing Khan Sheikhoun after entering the city from all axes. Furthermore, the Syrian military’s 5th Corps and Republican Guard are advancing through the Al-Ta’manah area in a bid to secure the town and the remaining points under militant control. As a result of this week’s gains, the Syrian Arab Army has scored a major victory against the jihadist rebels, who previously vowed to defend this region until the last man.

More on this topic:
• Syrian Army Captures New Positions In Southern Idlib, Closes In On Khan Shaykhun
• Breaking: Syrian Army entering Khan Sheikhoun from all axes to take control of city
• Syrian Army still not in control of Khan Sheikhoun despite media claims
• Syrian Army uncovers caves used by militants in southern Idlib: video

Filed under: Al Qaeda, Brotherhood, Erdogan, neo-Ottoman, Nusra Front, SAA, Syria, Takfiris, Turkey, War on Syria | Tagged: AngloZionist Empire, Khan Sheikhoun, Liberation of Idlib, Syrian victory |
The Syrian Arab Army launches a ground offensive against HTS and NFL-held areas in northern Hama and southern Idlib, after six days of intensive airstrikes on the region.