Two days after the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” captured Al-Kufayr in the Jisr Al-Shughour District, the Syrian Arab Army’s 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division took complete control of this village located north of the Syrian Government’s main supply route to the Idlib Governorate.
The SAA’s counter-assault began on Wednesday night, when the 87th Brigade – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – stormed the southeastern flank, where they successfully broke-through Jabhat Al-Nusra’s frontline defenses and secured the village of Al-Kufayr after a series of fierce clashes that extended into wee hours of the morning.
According to a military source, the SAA’s 87th Brigade killed 22 enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra, while also seizing their weapons and ammunition; meanwhile, the 87th Brigade reported 8 soldiers killed-in-action and another 6 that were wounded during the battle for Al-Kufayr.
At the Ariha front, the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham continued their attack at the village of Musayabeen, where they attempted to force the National Defense Forces to withdraw from their defensive positions; however, the militants were unsuccessful in taking complete control of Musayabeen.
Fierce clashes were reported between the SAA’s 87th Brigade and the militants from Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at the hill of Tal Ma’ar Tab’i located directly east of the Syrian Government controlled city of Ariha; however, there was no map change.
