On Tuesday morning at 7:30 A.M. (Damascus Time), the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda organization “Jabhat Al-Nusra” – in coordination with rebel contingents from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) – have launched a large-scale offensive at the Brigade 52 Base in the city of Al-Hirak, as the Syrian Opposition forces attempt to expand their control over southern Dara’a.
The Islamist forces began their assault on the southern axis of the Brigade 52 Base, where they flooded the area with a barrage of mortar shells and rockets that struck the Syrian Armed Forces’ positions outside of the base; this resulted in the alleged destruction (social media activists from the Syrian Opposition only claim this) of two Syrian Arab Army (SAA) tanks by a rebel BMP at the entrance of the base.
Social media activists from the Syrian Opposition have reported that the Syrian Arab Air Force (SAA) has launched at least 20 airstrikes outside of Brigade 52 Base; however, this is also unconfirmed by military sources from the Syrian Armed Forces, but they did acknowledge the presence of the Syrian Air Force at this battle.
For the Syrian Opposition Forces, Brigade 52 base is strategically located at the southern part of the Izra’a District; it is important because of its proximity to the towns of Ghazaleh (Syrian Government controlled) and Al-Hirak (Syrian Opposition controlled).
More to come as the battle develops…
