The Syrian Arab Army’s 63rd Brigade of the prestigious 4th Mechanized Division – in coordination with Hezbollah, the National Defense Forces (NDF), and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) – are on the verge of capturing the imperative resort-city of Al-Zabadani after almost 45 days of fierce firefights with Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra.”
On Saturday morning, the battle for Al-Zabadani appeared all but over, as the news spread amongst Hezbollah and Syrian Arab Army social media activists detailed the complete capture of this resort-city located near the Syrian-Lebanese border crossing.
However, the news of Al-Zabadani’s capture by the joint forces of Hezbollah and the Syrian Arab Army was prematurely reported, as the latter units were engaged in a violent firefight with Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra combatants near the Uthman Neighborhood inside the city’s western sector.
The Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah did progress further into Al-Zabadani on Saturday morning after they secured a collection of villas en route to the Mahata Roundabout near the city-center; but, without control over this strategically located roundabout, the Syrian Armed Forces and Lebanese Resistance cannot assert fire control over Al-Zabadani.
In conjunction with the ongoing ground assault, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAAF) pounded away at the Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra fighters entrenched inside Al-Zabadani’s city-center, adding to the plight of the aforementioned Islamist groups.
Encircled and embattled, the Islamist rebels of Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and Jabhat Al-Nusra have refused all surrender terms, despite their present situation inside Al-Zabadani.
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