The Syrian army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have repelled an ISIS advance on the government-held village of Jubb al-Jarah and launched a counter-offensive in the direction of al-Khattamlah in the Syrian province of Homs.
Pro-government sources claim that ISIS units lost about 30 fighters in these clashes and but neglect to report the casualties among the Syrian army and the NDF.
ISIS units launched an attack east of Salamiyah on December 22 and then seized the village of al-Khattamlah after a series of firefights with NDF fighters.
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Methinks this ISIS attacks proves that its not enough to retake Palmyra on a narrow front salient. As long as ISIS is in control of that entire area north and northwest of Palmyra neither it, nor the road of life to Aleppo will be safe. They have to be pushed out of that area as well.
Indeed
This time any attempt to retake Palmyra will need coordinated effort on multiple fronts from Tadmore to Deir Azzore.
The YPG is almost encircling the ISIS capital. It wont be too long when they will be history.