The Syrian Arab Army’s 106th Brigade of the Republican Guard has made huge strides at the integral village of Morek in west Hama, capturing the strategic “Tank Regiment” base in the northeast sector of the besieged area. Morek’s location is crucial for the Republican Guard due to its vicinity to the M-5 Highway and the rebel-controlled village of Khan Sheikhoun in the Idlib Governate; it was captured by the Islamic Front in the latter part of Spring 2014.
At 9:30 P.M. Damascus Time, the Republican Guard carried out a well-planned raid on Islamic Front positions near the Tank Battalion base, killing and wounding dozens of IF militants in the process; this included a field commander from “Kateeba Jund Al-Rassoul” – ‘Abdel-Hadi Al-Nahaar. An intense firefight ensued between both parties, until the National Defense Forces (NDF) arrived and succored the Republican Guard from the southeast. Unable to counter the vicious assault, the Islamic Front was forced to retreat west as the Republican Guard pushed their way past the base.
Tiger Forces continued their onslaught in the west Hama village of Al-Lataminah, where entrenched Jabhat Al-Nusra and Islamic Front forces are attempting to repulse the SAA and NDF offensive. Earlier today, the Tiger Forces captured a militant weapons depot, confiscating the supplies in the building and killing 7 Jabhat Al-Nusra fighters. According to the Tiger Forces, Al-Lataminah is on the verge of liberation, with only the northern part of village still under IF and Jabhat Al Nusra control.
