BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:25 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a major offensive this week in the Wadi Barada area of western Damascus after the jihadist rebels of Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham poisoned the water supply to millions of civilians in Damascus.
Led by their 4th Mechanized Division, the Syrian Arab Army stormed the large west Damascus pocket near the Lebanese border, marking their first attack on this area since the Al-Zabadani operations in July 2015.
Unlike the previous attack on Al-Zabadani, the Syrian Arab Army is solely carrying out this military operation against the jihadist rebels in the Wadi Barada area; this means there is no Hezbollah presence at this critical battle near the Lebanese border.
More importantly, should Wadi Barada and Serghaya fall to the Syrian Arab Army in the coming weeks, then the remaining jihadist elements in Madaya and Al-Zabadani will be forced to reconcile due to the fact they will be completely isolated from their allies.
In addition to this, the Syrian Armed Forces will have full control over the Lebanese border-crossing along the Western Mountains for the first time in four years.
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