The Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” is quickly falling apart in the Qalamoun Mountains, as Hezbollah and the Syrian Armed Forces have taken control over large swaths of territory on the border of Syria and Lebanon following their powerful joint counter-offensive in this rugged region.
On Wednesday morning, Hezbollah surprised the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra with a number of attacks on their positions in the western part of the Qalamoun Mountains, capturing over a dozen hilltops that overlook the border of Lebanon’s Nahleh Municipality and the Beqa’a Governorate’s ‘Arsal District.
The Lebanese Resistance began their assault on the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra at the hills of Majr Al-Hamra and Shamees Al-Hamra, where they quickly took control of these hilltops after engaging the enemy combatants in a series of skirmishes that eventually led to their withdrawal from this area in the northern part of the Nahle Municipality of Lebanon.
In addition to their success at the Nahle Municipality, Hezbollah also advanced their positions at the ‘Arsal District in the Beqa’a Governorate, as they killed over 30 enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra on Wednesday, while also destroying six armored vehicles that were mounted with a variety of machine guns.
According to a source in Damascus, Hezbollah was able to take control of the vast array of hills at Wadi Al-Mazrab, Wadi Al-Khayal, and Sahel Al-Rahawi, resulting in the death of a number of Jabhat Al-Nusra militants en-route to victory in the southern part of Jaroud ‘Arsal.
The Syrian Arab Air Force has begun launching airstrikes over Jabhat Al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) positions in Jaroud ‘Arsal; this is likely to coincide with Hezbollah’s silent offensive in the eastern part of the ‘Arsal District.
