Following their surprise attack last night, the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” – in coordination with the 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division and the 45th Regiment of the 1st Armored Division – carried out another successful assault on the militants from the Syrian Al-Qaeda organization “Jabhat Al-Nusra” and their allies from “Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham” and “Jund Al-Aqsa” at Tal Ghazal.
Before the Syrian Armed Forces could advance to Tal Ghazal, they were under attack by the militants from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Ahrar Al-Sham at the villages of Sarareef and Al-Zayadiyah, where the Al-Qaeda affiliates attempted to retake the territory they lost to the Tiger Forces during last night’s surprise assault near Zayzoun.
Once the militant attack was repelled on Thursday morning, the Syrian Armed Forces progressed to the strategic hill that overlooks Zayzoun at Tal Ghazal; this advance led to the subsequent capture of the latter after a series of fierce clashes with the enemy combatants of Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham at the hilltop.
These recent gains for the Syrian Armed Forces come two weeks after their withdrawal from the strategic city of Ariha; thus, losing the final city under their control in this province – they do still control a collection of villages in the Al-Ghaab Plains, but the loss of Ariha furthers their presence from the provincial capital.
