A person has been killed due to the explosion of a land mine in the western side of Syrian city of Raqqa, as sources revealed that ISIS extremists struggle to prevent the forces of Euphrates Operations from entering the city. The Syrian government forces, on Monday, managed to recapture al-Rasafa area, south of Raqqa, after fierce battles with the Islamic State group.
Qasioun News reported that the Syrian army managed to recapture the area of Rasafa, south of Raqqa, after violent battles with the Islamic State, using light and heavy weapons, leaving casualties among the ranks of the two sides.
It is noteworthy that the government forces were able, yesterday, to advance into new areas in the southern countryside of Raqqa, including Ja’edin Village, south of Raqqa, after clashes with the Syrian Democratic Forces. Meanwhile, Syrian Badiyah is witnessing ongoing battles, where the government forces, backed by Russian troops, advanced into the southern entrance of the city of Raqqa.
Military sources of the Syrian Democratic Forces revealed that the US-led international coalition shot down a Syrian fighter jet, in the western countryside of Raqqa, Qasioun News reported on Sunday.
The sources said that for the first time, international coalition shot down a Sukhoi 22 warplane, belonging to the Syrian regime, in the city of Tabqa, west of Raqqa, however, they did not identify the reasons behind bringing down the warplane or the destiny of its pilot.
Meanwhile, neither the Syrian regime nor international coalition issued any statement on the news regarding the warplane incident.
It is noteworthy, a military official in the Syrian Democratic Forces informed that the clash with government forces is approaching, while the latter managed to retake dozens of villages in western Raqqa, after violent battles with the Islamic State.
Syrian army troops, on Monday, found the pilot of the aircraft that was shot down by the US-led international coalition in the countryside of Raqqa, north of Syria.
Sputnik News reported that the Syrian army found Captain Ali fahd, alive in the village of Shuwaihat in the countryside of al-Rasafa, north of Tabqa in southern Raqqa, while added that the pilot landed using his parachute, after the US air force shot down his Sukhoi Su-22 aircraft, yesterday, in the Syrian Badiyah.
Yesterday, international coalition shot down a Sukhoi 22 warplane, belonging to the Syrian regime, in the city of Tabqa, west of Raqqa, however, they did not identify the reasons why the warplane was shot down.
Government air and artillery bombardments hit rebel-held areas of the Syrian city of Deraa, on the border with Jordan, on Tuesday after a two-day ceasefire expired, witnesses and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Syrian military could not be reached for comment on the renewed action, which took place as U.S. and Russian officials were holding held talks on creating a “de-escalation zone” in southwestern Syria that would include Deraa.
A witness and two insurgents in Deraa said the army and its allies had resumed air and artillery bombardments in the city and the narrow strip of countryside separating it from the border.
If the army takes rebel-held parts of Deraa and the few kilometers (miles) between it and the border, it would split the insurgent areas of southeast Syria in half.
At least six raids took place in Gharz in east Deraa and in the old quarter of the city, where the army resumed efforts to break rebel lines, the rebels said.
The witness said that barrel bombs, artillery shells and rockets were used in the bombardment. Clashes took place near a military base southwest of the city near the border with Jordan, the witness added.
U.S. and Russian officials agreed a ceasefire, which ended on Monday, during talks in Amman aimed at strengthening goodwill before more detailed negotiations on setting up the “de-escalation zone”, diplomats in Jordan said.
On Saturday the Syrian army said it would suspend combat operations in Deraa for 48 hours in order to support “reconciliation efforts”. Rebels in the city and other residents have said this month that the army’s bombardment of Deraa has intensified and insurgents said the government had brought more troops to the city.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed in the six-year-old war by Russia, Iran and Shi’ite militias while some of the rebels seeking to oust him are supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies.
Australia said on Tuesday it had suspended air strikes into Syria following the U.S. downing of a Syrian military jet and Russia’s subsequent threat against U.S.-led coalition aircraft. Russia said on Monday it would treat U.S.-led coalition aircraft flying west of the River Euphrates in Syria as potential targets and track them with missile systems and military aircraft, but stopped short of saying it would shoot them down.
“As a precautionary measure, Australian Defence Force (ADF) strike operations into Syria have temporarily ceased,” Australia’s Department of Defence said in a statement.
Russia made clear it was changing its military posture in response to the U.S. downing of a Syrian military jet on Sunday, something Damascus said was the first such incident since the start of the country’s conflict in 2011.
“ADF personnel are closely monitoring the air situation in Syria and a decision on the resumption of ADF air operations in Syria will be made in due course,” Australia’s Department of Defence said, adding its operations in Iraq would continue as part of the coalition.
“Australian Defence Force protection is regularly reviewed in response to a range of potential threats,” it said.