The Syrian Arab Army’s Special Forces attacked a contingent from the Al-Qaeda linked “Khorasan Group”, killing 22 of their fighters and destroying their nest at Al-Mireej in the Latakia Governorate. Among the dead Khorasan Group members was their field commanders, “Abu Biraaq Al-Khorasaani”, “Abu Mariam Al-Kazakstaani”, and “Abu Layla Al-Sheeshaani” – all foreigners.
The members of this group are prevalent in the Latakia Governorate’s countryside, where they are grouped together with their allies in the Al-Nusra Front (Jabhat Al-Nusra) and Jaysh Al-Mujahiddeen (Army of Jihadists). According to a military source, many of their fighters cross the Syrian border from Turkey and meet up with one of the aforementioned militant groups until they reach their destination.
On Tuesday, the National Defense Forces (NDF) engaged a predominately Chechen force belonging to the Al-Nusra Front near the rebel-held village of Salma in the Al-Haffa District. The NDF killed 14 fighters and wounded another dozen before the Al-Nusra Front fighters withdrew towards Salma, leaving their heavy weaponry for the former to confiscate.
