Syrian regime forces attack Harasta & Damascus countryside

The Syrian army pressed an offensive in Aleppo on Friday with ground fighting and air strikes in an operation to retake all of the city’s rebel-held east that would bring victory in the civil war closer for President Bashar al-Assad.
“The advance is going according to plan and is sometimes faster than expected,” a Syrian military source told Reuters. The Syrian army and its allies had recaptured 32 of east Aleppo’s 40 neighborhoods, about 85 percent of the area, he said.
Journalists, rebels and a monitor confirmed the military thrust. There were no reports the Syrian army had made significant gains. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Syrian army had suspended military activity to let civilians leave rebel-held areas, RIA news agency reported.
The army and its allies tried to advance on two fronts, a Turkish-based official with the Jabha Shamiya rebel group said. “Helicopters, warplanes and rocket bombardment like every day. Nothing has changed,” the official said. Despite the bombardment, “the guys are steadfast,” the official added.
Syrian Arab Army backed by the National Defense Forces reportedly captured Hardana and Qasr Ali from the rebel forces, in the northeastern Hama. On a different front, SAA recaptured Sarha Shamali from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Ibaa News Agency reported destruction of SAA‘s tank on Tallat Sarha with an anti-tank guided missile.
Free Syrian Army’s Jaysh al-Izza and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham repelled Syrian Arab Army’s attacks on Al-Balil and Umm Turikiyah. According to the reports, eight SAA‘s soldiers were killed in the clashes.
In the same context, Harakat Nour al-Deen al-Zenki and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham reached a temporary truce agreement last night that lasted until the noon. The agreement was mediated by the Saudi sheikhs Abdullah al-Muhaysini and Musallah al-Olayan. The director of media office of HNDZ, Ahmed Hamahar announced today that the truce agreement was extended for an indefinite period, as the negotiations are still taking place between the two parties.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham foiled Syrian Arab Army’s attacks on Hijara and Al-Rashadiya in the southeastern Aleppo countryside. Military commander in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Edi Abu Faisal claimed that more than 30 SAA‘s soldiers were killed and two tanks damaged. Other reports suggest that SAAlost three soldiers and HTS one in the clashes.
In Deir Al Zour, Syrian Democratic Forces’ Deir al-Zour Military Council captured Dhubayn from the Islamic State. The leader of the military council, Ahmed al-Khubail confirmed the capture of the locality.
Islamic State’s Amaq Agency claimed death of eight Syrian Democratic Forces’ fighters and injury of additional ten, due to the clashes between the two, southeast of Al-Omar field. Syrian Arab Army and allies advanced north of Albu Kamal (Al-Bukamal) and reportedly captured Hamdan village and Hamdan airbase. After these advances, the Islamic State is reportedly encircled in Al-Bukamal.
However, Ahrar al-Sham’s spokesman Omar Khattab, and Ahrar al-Sham’s spokesman for the East Ghouta, Mundhir Fares, stated that the ‘Army Armored Vehicle Base’ in Harasta is still not under the full control of the AAS-led rebels, as the SAA reportedly controls one point in the locality. Fares added that the rebels seized large quantity of food, part of it from the UN aid.
Syrian Arab Air Force targeted Saqba, Hammouriya, Douma, Arbeen, and Ain Terma. Five people were reportedly killed in Arbeen due to the airstrikes. Syrian Civil Defence (The White Helmets) reported death of two people in Hammouriyah and one in Ain Terma, also due to the airstrikes. Rebel shelling of Damascus’ center reportedly killed one person and injured 13 others.
In Daraa, Commander of the ‘1st Infantry Brigade’ in the Free Syrian Army’s Firqat al-Hamza, survived an assassination attempt on the road between Inkhil and Barqa. The deputy of the brigade, Adham al-Wadi stated that the commander was injured by an improvised explosive device which targeted his vehicle. Al-Wadi accused IS-linked Jaysh Khalid ibn al-Walid of trying to assassinate the commander.
Rebel “Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office” reported death of an Ahrar al-Sham fighter, after he was wounded by the Syrian Arab Army’s improvised explosive device at the outskirts of Al-Naimah.