The main road to the villages of Al-‘Aziziyyeh, Al-Tamana’a, and Al-Jayid in western Hama are now under Syrian Arab Army control, following a successful military operation earlier today. The SAA’s Tiger Forces – led by Col. Soheil Al-Hassan – stormed Jabhat Al-Nusra positions outside of the village of Al-‘Aziziyyeh, killing over 20 militants and wounding a dozen others, before declaring the road under Syrian Government control. The road overlooks the besieged village off Al-Haweeja in west Hama; it is used by Jabhat Al-Nusra as a nest for snipers.
In northeast Latakia, the National Defense Forces (NDF) have liberated the surrounding hills near the rebel-controlled village of Salma. The NDF and SAA have launched a cooperative offensive in northeast Latakia, aimed at reclaiming the rest of the Turkish border within the province. According to a military source in Latakia, the SAA and NDF are currently on the fringes of Salma, overlooking the town from the southwest. The rapid advance into the vicinity of Salma has forced Jabhat Al-Nusra and Islamic Front militants to fortify their positions and seek reinforcements from Idlib and Turkey.
