Terrorist attack on Idlib failed, over 1200 terrorists dead

[Bleipriester]

Idlib: Syrian Armed Forces Recapture Territory at Al-Mastoumah

"On Tuesday, the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – launched a fierce counter-assault at Masayabeen, resulting in the death of a number of armed militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” before the Syrian Armed Forces were able to take full control of this village near the provincial capital of Idlib.

Upon securing Masayabeen, the Tiger Forces and NDF advanced to the strategic hill overlooking this village, where they continued their counter-offensive geared to recapture the territory lost to the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra near the Qarmeed Camp (Brick Factory); this attack was successful for the Tiger Forces and NDF, as they secured the hill of Tal Masayabeen 45 minutes later.

With Masayabeen and Tal Masayabeen under the Syrian Armed Forces’ control, the SAA’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division was able to continue their momentum near Al-Mastoumah, capturing the village of Al-Harsh after engaging Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Ajnad Al-Sham in a series of intense firefights on Tuesday afternoon.

To counter the Syrian Armed Forces’ success at Al-Mastoumah, the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa stormed the 87th Brigade’s defensive positions at the western flank of Tal Ma’ar Tab’i, where they were able to take control of the hilltop before nightfall dissipated the fighting at this hill near the strategic city of Ariha.

Despite the constant fighting at Tal Ma’ar Tab’i, the Islamist forces from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa have been unsuccessful in their attempt to break-through the SAA’s defensive fortifications at this integral hill that overlooks the city of Ariha.

The militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham launched another powerful attack on the SAA’s positions at the heavily fortified Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital; however, this assault proved unsuccessful for the Islamist fighters, as the SAA’s 87th Brigade was able to seal-off the southern flank’s defensive barriers."

Idlib Syrian Armed Forces Recapture Territory at Al-Mastoumah

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Army Captures Strategic Hill on the Outskirts of Jisr Al-Shughour

"On Friday morning, the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Tiger Forces – has reportedly captured the strategic hill of Tal Hataab, outside of the village of Frikka in the Jisr Al-Shughour District."

Breaking Syrian Army Captures Strategic Hill on the Outskirts of Jisr Al-Shughour

 

[Bleipriester]

Islamist Forces Falling Apart in Northeast Latakia; SAA Captures Multiple Points

"The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) – continued their offensive in northeast Latakia, attacking a number of areas under the control of the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” near the town of Ghanam.

One week after the capture of Rawaysat Al-Ghanam, the SAA and their allies expanded their control over more points on the Aleppo-Latakia Highway (M-4), capturing the hills of Murtafa Al-Zaynounah, Jourah Mufarah Al-Rashwan, Rawaysat Al-Mumlouha, Rawaysat Jourah Al-Za’aterah, and Rawaysat Jourah Al-Madourah in northeastern Latakia.


According to a military source, the Syrian Armed Forces killed over 30 armed militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra, including Maysam Isma’eel Hafezh, Khaled Yousif Al-Bustani, Mohammad Mahmoud Al-Ghayeth, Wasseem ‘Uthman Mohsen, Marwan Mohammad Nouress, Qassem Basheer Al-Hosni, and Zaid Ghassan Abu Yahya.

The Syrian Armed Forces are currently applying more pressure on the militants from the Coastal Brigades and Jabhat Al-Nusra at the strategic Islamist stronghold of Salma; if they are able to take control of this town in northeast Latakia, they will have successfully captured the most imperative Islamist stronghold near the Turkish border."

Islamist Forces Falling Apart in Northeast Latakia SAA Captures Multiple Points

 

[Bleipriester]

Takfiri terrorist organizations collapsed in Jisr al-Shughour city and the surrounding area

"Idleb

Takfiri terrorist organizations collapsed in Jisr al-Shughour city and the surrounding area, after suffering heavy losses and amid a state of confusion and exchanging charges between Jabhat al-Nusra and the other terrorist organizations, a military source told SANA Sunday.

the source added that army and armed forces inits, in cooperation with the forces defending National Hospital in Jisr al-Shughour city, killed scores of terrorists at the vicinity of the hospital, and at southern and eastern entrances of the city.

Meanwhile, the army Air Force destroyed gatherings of Takfiri terrorist organizations in al-Sukareyeh, Nakhleh Church, Ein al-Sudeh and smashed their convoys in the vicinity of Jisr al-Shughour al-Janoudyeh in the countryside of the province.
Additionally, army units carried out direct blows against terrorists’ gatherings in Ghaniyeh and Ishtabrak areas in the countryside of Jisr al- Shughour and controlled a number of significant points, the source added."

http://sana.sy/en/?p=39906

 

[Bleipriester]

Tiger Forces Approaching Jisr Al-Shughour: Another Village Captured

"On Sunday, the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division – continued their relentless assault on the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” near Jisr Al-Shughour, pushing their way to the outskirts of this strategic city in west Idlib.

The Tiger Forces and their allies began their successful advance towards Jisr Shughour on Saturday, when they overwhelmed the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at Tal Sheikh Al-Khataab, taking control of this vital hill overlooking parts of the ‘Ayn Al-Souda District at the outskirts of Jisr Al-Shughour.

After taking control of Tal Sheikh Al-Khataab east of Jisr Al-Shughour, the Tiger Forces and their allies advanced to Al-Mushayrafat located north of Frikka, where they once again overwhelmed the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham with their heavy weaponry and airstrikes from the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF), capturing the village after fierce firefights with the enemy combatants.

As of Sunday night, the Syrian Armed Forces are now in complete control of Al-Mushayrafat, the Sugar Factory, and Tal Sheikh Al-Khataab; this comes two days after the Syrian President – Dr. Bashar Al-Assad – gave a speech on Syria’s Martyrs’ Day, where he affirmed the government’s intentions to recapture Jisr Al-Shughour.

For the eighth straight day, the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund Al-Aqsa stormed the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital at the western and southern flanks; however, they were unable to infiltrate past the SAA’s defenses.

The Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital’s decrepit structure, due to the constant attacks by Jabhat Al-Nusra has left the situation for the soldiers protecting the facility in dire need of reinforcements and an escape route, as the building is bound to collapse in the next few days."

Tiger Forces Approaching Jisr Al-Shughour Another Village Captured

 

[Bleipriester]

Time is Ticking at the National Hospital; Building Falling Apart Amid SAA Advance

"The Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the 87th Brigade of 11th Tank Division – have continued their push towards the integral city of Jisr Al-Shughour, where they look to lift the one month long siege of the National Hospital by the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra.”

Following their capture of Al-Mushrafat near the village of Frikka, the SAA’s Tiger Forces took control of the strategic hills at Tal Quntaar and Tal Qurtal after Jabhat Al-Nusra, Jund Al-‘Aqsa, and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham countered the Syrian Armed Forces success in southern Jisr Al-Shughour last weekend.


Meanwhile, southwest of Jisr Al-Shughour, the 87th Brigade and the NDF launched an attack on the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra, as they attempted to advance into the village of Ishtabraq from nearby Al-Ghaniyah; however, the Syrian Armed Forces are still 1 km away from their destination.

Ishtabraq is strategically located 2 km away from the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital and with the facility falling apart; it does not leave the Syrian Armed Forces much time to lift the Jabhat Al-Nusra siege on the building.

Jabhat Al-Nusra and Ajnad Al-Sham launched another powerful assault on the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital, where they stormed the southern and western flanks, infiltrating the Syrian Arab Army’s defensive barriers before they were finally forced to withdraw due to the Syrian Arab Air Force’s (SAAF) multiple airstrikes on their positions.

The Syrian Armed Forces best chance to reach the Jisr Shughour National Hospital is from their current positions at the Sugar Factory; but, despite being 850 meters from the city itself, the Tiger Forces are still 2 km from the southeast perimeter of the main facility."

Time is Ticking at the National Hospital Building Falling Apart Amid SAA Advance

 

[Bleipriester]

Islamist Rebels Storm the Gates of Ariha in Idlib

"The Islamist militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham – in coordination with Jund Al-‘Aqsa – launched a powerful assault on the outskirts of the Syrian Government stronghold of Ariha, where they attempted to advance their positions at the village of Musayabeen located directly west of the Qarmeed Camp.

Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and their allies successfully infiltrated past the National Defense Forces (NDF) frontline defenses at the northeastern flank, resulting in their entrenchment at the northern sector of Musayabeen before the Syrian Armed Forces attempted to counter this Islamist offensive from their positions in the south.


For the militants of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, Tuesday proved to be a crucial day for them, as they finally infiltrated back into the village of Musayabeen; however, this would not be the only successful assault launched by the Islamist militants.

The Islamist militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham attacked the Qasr Al-Fanaar checkpoint that was controlled by the National Defense Forces, where the former was able to take full control of this area after fierce clashes with the Syrian Armed Forces; this forced the latter to withdraw from this checkpoint after its destruction.

The Syrian Armed Forces countered the Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham attack at Qasr Al-Fanaar; however, the firefights dissipated by nightfall, leaving both parties only two dozen meters from one another.

East of Ariha, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with Ajnad Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa – stormed the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital at the southern and western flanks, where they were unsuccessful in their attempt to infiltrate past the Syrian Arab Army’s defenses."

Islamist Rebels Storm the Gates of Ariha in Idlib

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Armed Forces Capture Al-Kufayr Near Jisr Al-Shughour

"Two days after the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” captured Al-Kufayr in the Jisr Al-Shughour District, the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division took complete control of this village located north of the Syrian Government’s main supply route to the Idlib Governorate.

The SAA’s counter-assault began on Wednesday night, when the 87th Brigade – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – stormed the southeastern flank, where they successfully broke-through Jabhat Al-Nusra’s frontline defenses and secured the village of Al-Kufayr after a series of fierce clashes that extended into wee hours of the morning.


According to a military source, the SAA’s 87th Brigade killed 22 enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra, while also seizing their weapons and ammunition; meanwhile, the 87th Brigade reported 8 soldiers killed-in-action and another 6 that were wounded during the battle for Al-Kufayr.

At the Ariha front, the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham continued their attack at the village of Musayabeen, where they attempted to force the National Defense Forces to withdraw from their defensive positions; however, the militants were unsuccessful in taking complete control of Musayabeen.

Fierce clashes were reported between the SAA’s 87th Brigade and the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at the hill of Tal Ma’ar Tab’i located directly east of the Syrian Government controlled city of Ariha; however, there was no map change."

Syrian Armed Forces Capture Al-Kufayr Near Jisr Al-Shughour

 

[Bleipriester]

Jabhat Al-Nusra Storms the Village of Al-Mastoumah in Idlib

"The Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with their offshoot “Jund Al-Aqsa” and their ally from “Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham” – launched a powerful assault on the strategic town of Al-Mastoumah in the Idlib Governorate after capturing the hill of Tal Mastoumah on Sunday night.

Following their capture of Tal Mastoumah, Jund Al-Aqsa launched a suicide bomb operation with an armored BMP vehicle at the northwestern flank of Al-Mastoumah; however, the armored vehicle was destroyed by the National Defense Forces (NDF) moments before it could reach its targeted location.


The destruction of the BMP armored vehicle resulted in a large explosion that was displayed on Jabhat Al-Nusra social media accounts, despite the fact that the suicide operation’s contingency did not come to fruition at the town of Al-Mastoumah located just south of the provincial capital of Idlib.

According to a military source in Ariha, fierce firefights between the NDF and Jund Al-Aqsa have been reported at the northwestern and northeastern flanks of Al-Mastoumah; this has also prompted the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) to launch a series of airstrikes to obstruct the enemy combatants from breaching the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses at the town’s outskirts.

For three straight weeks, Jabhat Al-Nusra has attempted to breach the Syrian Arab Army’s positions at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital; it was no different on Sunday, as a large contingent of Nusra fighters swarmed the southern perimeter of the facility before they were repelled once again by the SAA.

The Jabhat Al-Nusra attack resulted in the death of 28 of their fighters, including ‘Abdullah Al-Najam Al-‘Abdullah, Idrees Mohammad Al-Ra’ad, Mohammad Malek Al-Fajar, ‘Abdo ‘Ali Al-Noushi, ‘Abdel-Kazeem Al-Ja’ou, Hassan Mohammad Al-Zareeq, Mohammad Sheikh Yousif, and ‘Abdel-Kaafi bin Hameed Al-Sadeer.

Southeast of Jisr Al-Shughour, the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division attacked the strategic town of Kufayr after they advanced from the Sawmill Checkpoint located south of the Sugar Factory."

Jabhat Al-Nusra Storms the Village of Al-Mastoumah in Idlib

 

[Bleipriester]

Bombs Rain Over Jisr Al-Shughour in Preparation for the Syrian Army’s Attack

"At 3 A.M. (Damascus Time) on Tuesday morning, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) launched a multitude of airstrikes over the strategic city of Jisr Al-Shughour in preparation for a large-scale assault to break the one month long siege of the National Hospital, where over 150 Syrian Arab Army soldiers, doctors, and nurses are currently protecting their encircled positions.

The SAAF’s airstrikes rained a number of bombs over the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from “Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham” and “Ajnad Al-Sham” for two hours before the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division, Tiger Forces, and the National Defense Forces (NDF) fired a barrage of mortar shells and rockets towards the Sugar Factory that is situated 1.5km from Jisr Al-Shughour.


Directly following their bombardment, the 87th Brigade and their allies stormed the southern axis of Kufayr, where they are currently engaged in a fierce firefight with Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham for control of this imperative town that overlooks the Syrian Government’s main supply route to the Idlib Governorate.

Meanwhile, at the strategic town of Al-Mastoumah located south of Idlib City, the NDF and SAA were able to recapture the Primary School and the southern perimeter of Tal Al-Mastouma after 24 straight hours of intense clashes with the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund Al-Aqsa.

Southeast of Al-Mastoumah, the SAA’s 87th Brigade countered the militants from Jaysh Al-Fateh at Muqablah, where they broke-through the enemy combatants frontline defenses and recaptured the western axis of this village near the Syrian Government stronghold of Ariha."

Bombs Rain Over Jisr Al-Shughour in Preparation for the Syrian Army s Attack

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Armed Forces Withdraw from the Al-Mastoumah Camp

"The militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” were finally successful in breaching National Defense Forces (NDF) frontline defenses at the Al-Mastoumah Camp after they recaptured the Primary School and the strategic Al-Mastoumah Hill, resulting in the complete withdrawal of the Syrian Armed Forces from this town located south of the provincial capital.

According to a military source in Ariha, the Syrian Armed Forces withdrew all the soldiers from the Al-Mastoumah Camp after Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund Al-Aqsa militants stormed the area for the second straight day, resulting in the disintegration of their defenses around this town in the Idlib Governorate.


With the Syrian Armed Forces withdrawal from the Al-Mastoumah Camp, the Syrian Government stronghold of Ariha becomes endangered because of the new threat posed from the northern axis that was once part of the supply route; this allows for the militants from Harakat Al-Sham to open a new front at this city and furthers the distance from the besieged villages of Kafraya and Al-Fou’aa located north of Idlib City.

The militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham did not waste much time attacking the Syrian Armed Forces’ defenses on the outskirts of Ariha, as they countered the latter’s infiltration into the village of Muqablah by pushing them to the fringes of this area."

Syrian Armed Forces Withdraw from the Al-Mastoumah Camp

 

[Bleipriester]

"Fierce clashes erupted between the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division and the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital on Friday morning, as a number of soldiers from the Syrian Armed Forces reportedly evaded the Islamist fighters and exited the medical facility.

According to a military source in Ariha, over a dozen soldiers escaped from the southwestern perimeter of the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital in the direction of the nearby Tiger Forces and National Defense Forces (NDF) that are entrenched just a half kilometer south of the village of Ishtabraq in the Idlib Governorate.

Video footage that was posted by social media activists from the Syrian Opposition confirmed the escape of a handful of soldiers from the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital; however, the video did not contain more than two and a half minutes of footage from a Jabhat Al-Nusra fighter that likely taped this while he was entrenched on a nearby hill.

Violent firefights are still ongoing between the Syrian Armed Forces and Jabhat Al-Nusra at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital’s southern and western flanks, despite premature claims by Syrian Opposition activists that the entire facility was captured by their Islamist fighters on Friday morning."

Intense Clashes Erupt at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital Soldiers Escape the Facility

 

[Bleipriester]

The Syrian Army Evades Al-Qaeda Fighters at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital

"For over one month, the Syrian Arab Army’s 45th Regiment of the 1st Armored Division and the 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division have been under a brutal siege at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital, as militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” have relentlessly attempted to break-through the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses to capture the medical facility.

On Friday morning, the Syrian Armed Forces made the decision to attempt to escape the swarming Jabhat Al-Nusra militants at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital and make their way to the NDF-controlled Sawmill Checkpoint amid the Syrian Arab Air Force’s (SAAF) aerial bombardment of the enemy combatants nearby.


The planned escape was devised by the officers in the SAA’s Central Command; they developed a contingency that provided the entrenched soldiers at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital with a pathway to evade the Jabhat Al-Nusra militants, while the Syrian Arab Air Force would mercilessly bombard the enemy combatants in order to divert any possible militant interference.

Despite some shortcomings, 127 soldiers and civilians have made it to safety thus far, including the commander of the operation – Colonel Mahmoud Sabha – who was interviewed by Syria’s “Al-Ikhbariya” shortly after his arrival in the provincial capital of the Latakia Governorate.

According to a military source, the number of dead among the 170-180 soldiers at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital has not been determined; however, the source did add that the propaganda video from Orient TV – which depicted over 100 SAA soldiers killed – is likely comprised of old footage, as the total number of dead they claim and the total number of soldiers who escaped to safety conflict one another – it will likely not be confirmed for a few days, as a number of soldiers have not been accounted for."

The Syrian Army Evades Al-Qaeda Fighters at the Jisr Al-Shughour National Hospital

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Armed Forces Close-in on the Last Al-Qaeda Stronghold in the Al-Ghaab Plains

"The Syrian Arab Army’s 106th Brigade of the Republican Guard – in conjunction with the National Defense Forces (NDF) and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) – carried out a fierce assault at Tal ‘Afayseh, storming the southeastern perimeter of this hill overlooking the town of Al-Sirmaniyah in the western part of the Al-Ghaab Plains.

After a morning of intense clashes at Tal ‘Afayseh, the Syrian Armed Forces were able to assert full control over the southeastern perimeter of the hill after killing over a dozen armed combatants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa at this area in the Hama Governorate.


If the Syrian Armed Forces can take full control of Tal Afayseh, they will have effectively positioned themselves for the eventual counter-attack to retake the town of Al-Sirmaniyah in the Al-Ghaab Plains; this town is strategically located directly east of the Prophet Younis Mountains of eastern Latakia and it is the last remaining Al-Qaeda stronghold in this area.

In addition to their assault on Tal ‘Afayseh, the Syrian Armed Forces have attacked the Al-Qaeda militants at the outskirts of Qastoun, where they engaged a large contingent of these combatants in order to position themselves for the capture of this town located southeast of Jisr Al-Shughour."

Syrian Armed Forces Close-in on the Last Al-Qaeda Stronghold in the Al-Ghaab Plains

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Army Thwarts Jabhat Al-Nusra Infiltration Attempt at Abu Al-Dhuhour Airbase

"On Wednesday morning, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham – launched a fierce assault on the besieged Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport in the eastern part of the Idlib Governorate, where they attempted to infiltrate past the Syrian Arab Army’s frontline defenses at the southern and western perimeters of the beleaguered base.

However, the Jabhat Al-Nusra attack was quelled before it could ever get going, as the Syrian Armed Forces destroyed two armored vehicles that were en route to their defensive barriers at the village of Tal Salmo; these two armored vehicles were believed to be Jabhat Al-Nusra suicide bombers that were going detonate the explosives in their trucks in order to destroy the village’s fortifications.


In addition to their attack on the southern flank of the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport, the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham targeted the western perimeter of the base, attacking from their positions at the nearby village of Abu Al-Dhuhour.

Following the fierce clashes that lasted over four hours at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport’s western perimeter, Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham withdrew their combatants and retreated west towards the village of Abu Al-Dhuhour, where the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) began to target after militant attack.

According to a military source from the Al-Daher Hawks Brigade at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport, the Syrian Armed Forces are in full control of the base and its surroundings – the militant groups were unable to progress into the airport and they sustained 14 casualties as a result of their failed assault on Wednesday."

Syrian Army Thwarts Jabhat Al-Nusra Infiltration Attempt at Abu Al-Dhuhour Airbase

 

[Bleipriester]

Tug-of-War Battle for the Strategic City of Ariha in Idlib

"Since the Syrian Armed Forces withdrew from the towns of Al-Mastouma, Nahliyah, and Musayabeen two weeks ago, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” has joined their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa in their fight to capture the Syrian Government stronghold of Ariha, located south of the provincial capital of Idlib.

The militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra wasted no time advancing their fighters to the city of Ariha and the nearby village of Kafr Najd in order to join forces with their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa that were besieging the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces (NDF) at a number of flanks.


Recently, the battle for Ariha has intensified between the Al-Qaeda linked groups and the Syrian Armed Forces, as the former has launched numerous attacks on the city’s northern and eastern flanks, where they have struggled to advance past the rugged hills and terrain encompassing this area of the Idlib Governorate.

On Wednesday morning, the Syrian Armed Forces surprised the militants with a counter-assault at the Al-Jawmah Checkpoint near the town of Musayabeen; this attack resulted in the SAA’s 87th Brigade and the National Defense Forces to alleviate the pressure imposed by the enemy combatants besieging the city of Ariha.

In conjunction with the Syrian Armed Forces counter-assault at the Al-Jawmah Checkpoint, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) carried out over 40 airstrikes in the Idlib Governorate Wednesday, targeting the cities and towns of Musayabeen, Al-Mastouma, Idlib City, Binnish, Saraqib, Taftanaz, Jisr Al-Shughour, Kafr Lata, Kafr Nubl, and Qastoun.

West of Ariha, the Syrian Arab Army’s Tiger Forces have fought their way to the strategic hill at Tal Muntar after fierce clashes with the enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Ajnad Al-Sham at the northeastern outskirts of Al-Frikka near the integral city of Jisr Al-Shughour."

Tug-of-War Battle for the Strategic City of Ariha in Idlib

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Army Withdraws from Ariha and Kafr Najd

"Three hours after the militants from Jaysh Al-Fateh launched a full-scale assault on the Syrian Government stronghold of Ariha, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have withdrawn all military personnel from the city to the village of ‘Umm Al-Jorouz along the Syrian Armed Forces main supply route in the Idlib Governorate.

The loss of the Qarmeed Camp (Brick Factory) and the town of Al-Mastoumah left the Syrian Armed Forces exposed to a flank maneuvering from the militants of the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from Jund Al-Aqsa and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham; this resulted in the inevitable withdrawal from Ariha and the nearby town of Kafr Najd to the east of the city.


With Ariha under their control, the militants from Jaysh Al-Fateh have built a rather large buffer-zone from the provincial capital of Idlib; if they can capture the remaining positions of the Syrian Armed Forces in the province, they can attempt to retake the ground they lost to the latter during their failed offensive in northern Hama last fall.

For the Syrian Armed Forces in Idlib, it appears that the Syrian Arab Army’s Central Command is no longer making the recapture of the provincial capital a top priority, as they have shifted their attention to eastern Syria, where the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) are pressing their positions.

Despite the premature claims that the Syrian Armed Forces are “falling apart”; the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) still remains in control of all but two provincial capitals in Syria and they are on the move in the Latakia and the Rif Dimashq Governorates – there is still a lot of fighting left."

Syrian Army Withdraws from Ariha and Kafr Najd

 

[Bleipriester]

The Syrian Air Force Rules the Skies in Idlib

"On Sunday, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) appeared amid the gloomy skies above the provincial capital of Idlib for the first time in 24 hours, pounding multiple strongholds belonging to the Syrian Al-Qaeda organization “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, Jund Al-Aqsa, Ansar Al-Sham, Jaysh Al-Muhajireen, and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in this northern Syria province.

The Syrian Air Force began their aerial assault over the village Abu Al-Dhuhour in eastern Idlib after militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra attempted to infiltrate the Syrian Arab Army’s “Liwaa Abu Al-Daher’s” frontline defenses at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport and at the town of Tal Salmo located south of this base.

Once the Syrian Air Force began their aerial campaign, they would launch 83 airstrikes over the province of Idlib on Sunday, where they specifically targeted the Jabhat Al-Nusra controlled towns of Al-Mastoumah, Kafr Najd, Kafr Lata, Kafr Nabl, Taftanaz, Ma’arat Misreen, Qameenas, Fayloun, Koreen, and Broumah, along with the cities of Idlib, Saraqib, Sarmeen, Binnish, Ariha, Ma’arat Al-Nu’man, and Jisr Al-Shughour.

In addition to the airstrikes over the aforementioned towns and cities in the Idlib Governroate, the Syrian Air Force also relentlessly targeted the road leading to the Bab Al-Hawa border-crossing that the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham utilize to reinforce and resupply their entrenched fighters inside the province.

The majority of the airstrikes over the province of Idlib on Sunday occurred along the militant supply route to the city of Jisr Al-Shughour from the provincial capital, as the strategy behind this was to delay supplies to the enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, who are currently combatting the Syrian Armed Forces for control of the Jisr Al-Shughour countryside."

The Syrian Air Force Rules the Skies in Idlib

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Saudi Nusra commander declares: "Who freed Idlib are the sons of Idlib.", then the Syrian answer comes in, silencing the pig:

Nigga knocked dafuq out.

 

[Bleipriester]

Syrian Army Takes Control of Tal A’our in Rural Idlib

"For the last three weeks, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have been stagnate on the Idlib front, as the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jund Al-Aqsa swept through the cities of Al-Mastoumah and Ariha near the provincial capital.

This changed on Monday night, when the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division – in coordination with the Tiger Forces and the 45th Regiment of the 1st Armored Division – conducted a special operations mission near the town of Zayzoun, where they stormed the hill of Tal A’our and engaged the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra in a three hour firefight that resulted in the Syrian Armed Forces taking control of the hilltop.


The Syrian Armed Forces launched this surprise attack on the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra at Tal A’our in order to protect their soldiers at the villages of Frikka, Al-Ziyarah, Qurqour, and Joureen from the multitude of rockets, missiles, and mortar shells that are fired onto their positions from this hilltop.

In addition to their capture of Tal A’our, the Syrian Armed Forces also advanced towards the village of Zayzoun before nightfall on Monday; this is a strategic area for the latter, as this village will allow for them to widen their frontlines."

Syrian Army Takes Control of Tal A our in Rural Idlib