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This morning, Syrian government forces have entered the militant-held town of Maardes in the northern countryside of the provincial capital of the Syrian provicne of Hama.
After a short fire preparation, Syrian army infantry, backed up by few battle tanks, smashed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham defenses entered Maardes, pushing militants to retreat from the town.
Pro-governent sources had alrelady reported that the Syrian army fully captured Maardes. However, clashes are still ongoing around it.
Menawhile, government troops are devloping their momentum in the direction of Souran – another important town controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allied militant groups.
If pro-government units fully retake Souran and Maardes, they will reverse all gains made by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led forces in northern Hama in March.
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See, told you HTS and co are heavily weakened and demoralised since ALeppo, this was just a diversion. All will be good again, and very soon the SAA will close the Homs pocket once and for all, and push north from morek and west from south halab together with HZB to clear Idlib once and for all. And latakia too. But right now, maskanah / khanasser, palmyra / shaer / east hama and DEZ / raqqa ISIS pockets are first priority. Slowly but surely, it will all happen and come together beautifully.
Maardes is taken . Now it is Souran and then Taibat and Halfaya will fall