On August 14, the Jaish al-Fatah operation room has been continuing attempts to widen its tiny corridor to eastern Aleppo. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham-led forces attacked , the 1070 Apartment Project and the Cement Plant. Heavy clashes continued overnight with initial reports that the militants captured 25 building blocks in the 1070 Apartment Project and seized the Cement Plant. As result of the clashes in Cement Plant, about 40 Jaish al-Fatah fighers were killed while the Syrian army, Hezbollah and Liwa al-Quds lost some 40 fighters.
August 15 reports indicated that the pro-government forces almost regained the Cement Plant and reversed Jabhat Fateh al-Sham’s gains in the 1070 Apartment Project amid hevy air strikes of Russian and Syrian warplanes. However, Jaish al-Fatah announced that it will continue attempts to seize this strategic site.
Click to see the full-size map
On August 14, militants also attacked the al-Zahraa Neighborhood and the al-Zahraa Artillery Base. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham used some four Suicide Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SVBIED) in attacks on the al-Zahraa area. Ahrar al-Sham infantry inflitrated the western part of al-Zahraa Neighborhood and engaged the Syrian army units located there. The pro-government forces lost about 40 fighters in these clashes. In turn, about 50 militants were killed. By August 15, the Syrian army and its allies have been able to repel the attack.
Click to see the full-size map
The militant alliance will likely repeat an attempt to advance on the Syrian government forces in western Aleppo. Nonetheless, there are no idnication that they have significant chanes to achieve a success there.
SVBIED attack southwest in the al-Zahraa Neighborhood:
In general, the Syrian government forces remain in mostly defensive position and aim to keep a fire control of the militant “corridor” to eastern Aleppo. The strategic task of the pro-government ground forces, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces is to purge the militant manpower attempting to advance in southwestern Aleppo and secure the Ramouseh Roundabout and the Ramouseh Garage when the Jaish al-Fatah resources are drained.
Meanwhile, the Syrian army and its allies secured another site near the Khanasser road, securing the government’s supply line to southern Aleppo.
Click to see the full-size map
