Slaughter in Syria: Army fights «Al-Qaeda», corpses are everywhere, severe clashes — details (PHOTO 18+)
War reporter Oleg Blokhin known for his coverage of Syrian events has told us the latest updates on situation in Idlib and Hama provinces, where severe clashes between the Armed Forces of Syrian Arab Republic and “Al-Qaeda”* with its allied gangs are taking place.
Idlib-Hama
Serveral days of rainy weather and dense fog have made certain adjustments to the course of hostilities in Idlib and Hama provinces. The expected assault on Abu Dukhur has been postponed again. Syrians decided not to risk with the personnel and wait for the renewal of flyers’s.
The artillerists managed to have some rest for the same reason: bad weather and poor visibility. The islamists decided to risk again, having pulled up their forces and started to attack loyalists’ positions along railroad. Main battles were fought for the settlements of Achan (also Atshan – edit.), Abu Dali and Mesherfa. Those settlements have “switched sides” three times already. Islamists have initially managed to capture militia’s positions with equipment and ammo. It was regular Syrian army which had to retake those positions.
At the moment the most severe clashes are in Achan area, which is important for both sides. For militants it means prospect of further taking Abu Rash settlement, for governmental forces it means threat of its loss.
The second hard chop is for the sake of Abu Dali village capturing. In the beginning such a heat of a battle was surprising for such a small settlement. Abu Dali itself is quite small, it is difficult to call even a village, it’s more like a farm in terms of number of buildings. The reason of such tenacity turned out to be more than respectful: Abu Dali is home village for Sheikh Mubarek, whose unit is fighting on the side of governmental forces. Therefore regaining control over it is a matter of principle for the fighters. Well, quite a good motivation.
Today "Tigers" have taken three new settlements — Rasm Abed, Um Jaren, Abu Juni.
Zafr Kebir and Zafr al Kebir are taken under SAA’s control in the are of railway.
As a result we’ve captured five settlements and the other three - Achan, Abu Dali and Mezerfa are constantly passing under the control of the opposing forces.
Today is the first day of good weather, therefore, after flyers’ and artillery work is resumed, we will expect further SAA’s offensive and the long-awaited capture of Abu Duhur and the air base of the same name.
Oleg Blokhin, January 16, 2018. Syria, Idlib Province, Hama Province.
Upadated
January 17, on Wednesday Arab media reported another high ranking Islamists’ officer along with a group of henchmen had been killed in Southern Idlib. He became the 15th field commander who had been killed here over the last few weeks. That complicated gangs’ poisiton in the province even more.
«Free Idlib Army» terror group commander Mahmud Al-Dani was killed during fights against SAA in Houwein town in the South of Idlib.
Simultaneously ISIS* managed to capture several districts previously controlled by SAA near Abu-Dukhur airbase.
It is reported that the terrorists succeded in turning SAA units and «Liwa al-Quds» Palestinian militia out of the several positions not far from Sinjar town situated on the South-Eastern outskirts of Abu-Dukhur military airbase.
Besides, ISIS terrorists managed to cpture a lot of military hardware left by retreating governmental forces.
Let us remind that ISIS terrorists have launched ,an offensive in Idlib proince starting from their small enclave on the border with Hama province.
As a result they have meneged to broaden controlled territory between North-Eastern Hama and South-Eastern Idlib.
Read also: Defeat in the pocket: Russian AF and SAA liberated about 100 towns and villages on the road to Idlib (PHOTO, VIDEO, MAP)
Russian Spring editorial: Teror gangs’ members post their dead fellows’ photos on social media, there are hundreds of them there. Here are justa few of them, recently killed.
*terror organization banned in Russian Federation
