On Friday, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies captured the villages of Znouba and Qatisha east of Saboura town in the eastern Hama countryside. The SAA also captured the farms and hills of Kougan south of Sa’an town after intense clashes with ISIS fighters.
Russian and Syrian Air Force warplanes bombed ISIS fortifications in Abu Hanaya and Salba in the eastern countryside of Salamya town.
From its side, ISIS claimed that its fighters managed yesterday to repel an attack of the SAA and its allies, and to kill six Syrian soldiers during clashes in the vicinity of Al-Dakila village in the eastern countryside of Salamya.
According to pro-government sources, Desert Hawks Brigade forces began withdrawing from the eastern Hama countryside to their HQ in Lattakia after surrendering some of their weapons to the Syrian Military Intelligence for unknown reasons.
It’s believed that the slow advance of the SAA in the eastern Hama countryside despite the announcement of the offensive about two months ago is the result of poor coordination among the various forces involved in the operation, including the Desert Hawks Brigade.
The current plan of the SAA is likely to advance from Resafa town towards Sokhna town and to besiege ISIS forces in the rest of the east and northeast Homs countryside, and the eastern Hama countryside, similar to what happened in the eastern countryside of Aleppo.
ISIS clashes with government forces near the Arak gas field area in the Palmyra countryside:
The Dessert hawks brigade is indeed confusing perhaps some were corrupt and providing intel thus slowing the advance
Yes, the advances have been very slow. They have been drifting in the same spod for months without any successes. Most likely poor strategic planning on the General staff
It is in East Hama . It will take a lot of months to clear it
why so long?
Because it is hard terrain for the goverment forces . East Hama is one of the hardest . This is why besiege with TF help and TF move towards Deir Ez Zor and some SAA units began clearing the pocket there . TF can do the job in East Hama but why you should waste time there . DZ is more important and you dont have unlimited amount of time .
You always repeating: hard terrain, hard terrain , but I want to ask something: Is it hard terrain also for ISIS? I think it is …so something else is under way !!!
Don’t muss offence and defence! While first one hates hard terrain, the second one adores it. Look at Mosul.
Yes, i understand..but 5 years i too much…
Nearly every other region is/was more important than a hard to conquer mountainious region. If Isis pushes out there, they will be a easy target. Let them hide there till the end. If that is the last piece of Syria liberated, they would have made everything right. In addition: There will be a alternative route to the north soon.
5 years against jihad-internationale with USA-Turkey-Saudi-Katar-Israel behind shoulders? That’s, indeed, too-too much!)
True dez is top priority for forces in central/eastern syria
I think this is good old Russian “maskirovka” i.e. – they released this info in order to confuse enemies and “western colleagues”. Dessert Hawks were the first to receive new Russian hardware and to integrate Russian advisers. Also they were lauded in pro-syrian media as a crack unit. From pure PR perspective it doesn’t make sense to make a public spectacle out of a withdraw or even disbandment of such a unit. I have a hunch the hawks will strike where and when they are least expected…
hope u are right
Yes do not underestimate Russians Planning
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Yeah I think they are pretty light, maybe good for airlifting?
Yes I agree! Remember when Russia said “mission complete” and were going to leave syria? It was all BS! They stayed and maybe flew in more planes! Same thing going on here perhaps
This could be SAA psyops – a feint to keep the jihadists on their toes. Or to keep them static in Hama, to be precise, so they don’t take anyone from behind. But if this is a “proper” military operation then I imagine there is a strategic disagreement going on about the relative importance of Hama countryside vs. Eastern oil/gas fields. Desert Hawks leaders would argue “Look, we can take a dozen oil fields in a week with minimal losses, or we can can grind our men and equipment against a heavily dug-in enemy to take a piece of hilly countryside.” And they have a point. If SAA can keep the Hama jihadists there, Hawks could well be more useful liberating national resources in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates – and incur less losses whilst doing so. Why go after hard targets if there are plenty of soft ones? Then again it seems crazy to have E-Hama turn into yet another pocket that has to be liberated house by house from suicidal maniacs.
Are Desert Hawks Russians or Syrians or Affiliation of Groups?
Syrian paramilitary group
Thanks
Syria army is slow everywhere but when Russia direct the attack. In addition, Russia support is not appropriated since one can see to plane attacking where 15 planes are needed to make a fast job, two helicopters are attacking where 10 helicopters are needed, and so on. Everything looks so slow.
socialist style of work ;)
“Captured” is the incorrect terminolgy, the correct definition is “liberated”. Big difference, the Syrian Army liberated territory from the enemy who occupied it illegally.
Looking at this now, I would say the Desert Hawks were sent there so ISIS can send reinforcement, expecting an advance. Hence making other fronts weaker and now we see the Raqqah countryside moving in SAA’s favour. I don’t think Desert Hawks are needed there, the Hama-Homs area can remain a pocket till most of DeZ state is cleared.