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A source in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) told SouthFront on October 14 that the army and former fighters of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) launched a new attack on the remaining ISIS cells in the heavily fortified area of al-Safa, north of the governorate of al-Suwayda.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the SAA liberated a large part of Qabr al-Shaikh Hasan in al-Safa following heavy clashes with ISIS terrorist there. Prior to the army advance, the artillery and rocket launchers shelled several positions of the terrorist group in the area.
From its side, the ISIS news agency Amaq reported that the terrorist group’s fighters ambushed two units of the SAA in al-Safa. As a result, a BMP-1 armored vehicle was damaged and two personnel of the SAA were killed.
Three days ago, local sources reported that Russian forces in Syria will support a new attack by the SAA, local fighters and former FSA fighters on al-Safa. Back then, the sources said that Russia will provide ammunition, reconnaissance and close air support.
The new attack is aimed at liberating al-Safa and at freeing around 30 civilian hostages, who were abducted by ISIS fighters during a brutal attack in last July.
