Jabhat Al-Nusra’s attempted infiltration into the west Hama city of Mhardeh was thwarted by the civilian-led National Defense Forces, resulting in the death of 27 militants near the power plant. Mhardeh has been besieged for over one week now, with Jabhat Al-Nusra militants leading the charge from the village of Halfaya. As a result of the siege, civilians within the city have been without electricity in the residential areas; this is due to Al-Nusra militants targeting electrical lines and the large power plant in the northeast part of Mhardeh. According to sources in Mhardeh, the following members of Jabhat Al-Nusra were killed yesterday:
- Ahmad Mustafa Jaddou – Jabhat Al-Nusra commander
- Abu Shama Al-‘Urdani (Jordanian) – Jabhat Al-Nusra commander
- Abu Raqaya Al-Mahaajar Al-Sa’aoudi (Saudi) – Jabhat Al-Nusra commander
- Mustafa Aziza
- Mustafa Al-Hayyani
- ‘Umar Samaaq
- Sameh Abu Shaar
- Rashid Zarba
- Bassam Badawi
- Tariq Fatahi
- Abdel-Rahman Al-Urdani (Jordanian)
- Abu Qaqaa Al-Urdani (Jordanian)
- “Abu Jaafar” – identification pending
Halfaya:
The Syrian Arab Army’s elite Special Forces Brigade known as the “Tiger Forces” have cutoff the Aleppo-Hama International Highway leading to the rebel-held villages of Khan Sheikhoun and Morek. According to a military source, the Tiger Forces are attacking the strategically imperative village of Halfaya from the south; utilizing heavy weapons and tanks to breakthrough the Jabhat Al-Nusra frontlines. Tiger Forces combatted a large Jabhat Al-Nusra contingent yesterday, killing dozens of militants in the process:
- Karamo Al-Jadawa’a
- ‘Ahmad Khalid Al-Baham
- ‘Ahmad Mohammad Al-Dablaan
- Mahmoud ‘Uthman Al-‘Abdullah
- Jamal Abdel-Karim Salloum
- Yousif Khalid Al-Hassan
- Mohammad Suleiman ‘Ali Al-Qabteesh
- Safwan Al-Agha
- Tariq Al-Agha (Abu Mustafa)
- Mohammad Zahreddine Sayadi
- Hassan Shahada Shabka
- Khalid Mustafa Wada’a
- The rest were not identified
‘Arzeh:
The Syrian Arab Army has cleared the entire village of Jabhat Al-Nusra militants, after declaring the area under fire-control four days ago. This village is in the vicinity of the strategic Hama Military Airport. Along with the retreat, the leader of Jabhat Al-Nusra, Asadullah Hamiz, was killed during the clashes yesterday:
Deir Hamra:
The Syrian Arab Army has captured the small village of Deir Hamra near the Hama Military Airport yesterday, forcing Jabhat Al-Nusra to retreat northwest. According to a military source, the village is near ‘Arzeh and was abandoned as soon as Jabhat Al-Nusra completely retreated from the area. The SAA has advanced further west, attempting to recapture areas taken by Jabhat Al-Nusra.
Morek:
‘Abduallah Hilal (AKA Abu Azzam) – a field commander for the Islamic Front – was killed by the Syrian Arab Army in the besieged city of Morek in northern Hama yesterday. Another prominent member of Jabhat Al-Nusra was killed in the Battle for Morek by the Syrian Arab Army; the militant was named Osman Osman:
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