On Wednesday morning, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) – in coordination with the civilian-led “National Defense Forces” (NDF) – countered the encroaching terrorists from the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) outside of the historical Christian city of Al-Faraqlas in the Homs Governorate’s eastern countryside, resulting in a series of bloody firefights before the Syrian Armed Forces restored security to the area.
Led by the 550th Brigade of the 18th Tank Division, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces forestalled the terrorist group’s progress from Jabal Al-Shamariyah to the northeast of Al-Faraqlas; this allowed the Syrian Armed Forces to conduct a counter-assault to recapture the territory they lost at the nearby town of Harraan Al-Fawa’arah.
Finally after a long and bloody battle on Wednesday night, the Syrian Armed Forces restored security to the town of Harraan Al-Fawa’arah and by doing so, they removed the serious threat of the terrorist group attacking the ancient city of Al-Faraqlas; if the a aforementioned city was attacked and captured, ISIS would be on the doorsteps of the South Homs Plains.
According to a military source in the Homs Governorate, the Syrian Armed Forces suffered 18 casualties (7 SAA and 11 NDF); meanwhile, the terrorist group sustained over 40 casualties, including a Tunisian field commander during the latter part of the battle for Harraan Al-Fawa’arah.