Damascus - Nour Khowam
Syrian warplanes carried out several raids on areas in the outskirts of Ein Tarma Town in the Eastern Ghouta and in the vicinity of Jobar neighborhood in the outskirts of the capital. The bombing accompanied by sporadic clashes between Al-Rahman Corps on one hand, and the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them on the other, in the area of Ein Tarma Valley, amid escalation of shelling by the regime forces on the areas of clashes.
Meanwhile, violent clashes continued between factions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Levant Liberation Committee (LLC) against Hezbollah militia and the Syrian government forces on several axes in Jeroud Arsal and Jeroud Flitah in western Qalamoun.
Hezbollah fighters, supported by government forces, launched a three-pronged attack in different areas in the city. Sources stressed that the Lebanese Hezbollah militia made progress in the Sahl al-Rahwa area in Jeroud Arsal after violent clashes with the factions amidst mutual artillery shelling, backed by attacks carried out by Syrian warplanes.
The sources said that a number of fighters of FSA and LLC were killed after targeting their gatherings by Hezbollah militia with thermal missiles aimed at four-wheel drive vehicles on a sub-road south of Wadi Hamid in Jeroud Arsal, which led to the destruction and killing of six elements.
The operation has been anticipated for several weeks, and comes after Lebanese soldiers carrying out raids on Syrian refugee camps in the area were met with suicide bombings and a grenade attack.
That attack heightened tensions over the presence in Lebanon of more than a million refugees from the civil war across the border.
On the other hand, a source in the Syrian opposition said that the battles that concentrated in the Syrian side of Jeroud Fleita are targeting Al-Nusra Front and FSA as well as the sites of ISIS.
Lebanese army forces are waiting for the situation, ready for any development in the battle, military sources said. The Lebanese army would conduct a planned-out operation in Jeroud Arsal and the government gives it freedom. But there was no official announcement from the military on whether Lebanese troops were taking part in the fighting.
A military source confirmed that the Lebanese army had already targeted a group of gunmen tried to flee towards the town of Arsal, coming from Wadi al-Zaar in the hills of the town.
In Aleppo province, violent clashes took place between the regime forces and Islamic factions near al-Rasul al-A’azam Mosque in Al-Zahraa neighborhood west of Aleppo, accompanied by shelling by the regime forces on the clash areas, leaving many casualties. The northeastern countryside of Aleppo also witnessed renewed clashes in areas near Qiratah and Tokhar, between Manbij Military Council and factions of “The Euphrates Shield” Operation, amid exchange of targeting between both parties.
In Homs province, the regime forces’ warplanes bombed areas in the northern countryside of Homs, with no casualties reported. Also Violent clashes continue between the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities on one hand and members of the “Islamic State” organization on the other, in several areas in the eastern countryside of Homs and information about casualties in the ranks of both parties.
In Hama, the regime forces shelled areas in western countryside of Salimya city , no casualties were reported. The regime forces also shelled areas in Al-Lataminah town located in the northern countryside of Hama, without any information about casualties.