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On December 14, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the National Defense Forces (NDF) captured the hills of al-Ahmar, al-Maqtul and Khazan north of the town of Beit Jinn in the Western Ghouta region, according to pro-government sources.
Thus, the SAA fully isolated Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) positions in the town of Beit Jinn from the reconciliation area, which includes the villages of Beit Tima, Beit Saber and Kafr Hawr north of it.
Syrian pro-government activists claimed that the SAA has destroyed an vehicle of HTS and killed or injured several HTS fighters during its advance. The SAA also shelled positions of HTS north of Beit Jinn with mortars and Syrian-made Golan heavy rockets.
On December 13, HTS and its allies called for a “popular mobilization” to stop the SAA advance in Western Ghouta. The HTS statement proves that HTS will not be able to resist the SAA for a long time. Due to this, HTS might soon agree to withdraw its fighters from Western Ghouta to Idlib governorate.
