Illustrative image
On February 4, a commander of the Tiger Forces confirmed that the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Tiger Forces had halted their military operations in Idlib governorate. Syrian pro-government sources said that the Tiger Forces will build a strong defensive line west of the town of Abu Duhur and then began a wide-scale military operation against ISIS in the northeastern Hama countryside.
On the same day reports appeared that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham retook Tell Sultan in eastern Idlib from the SAA. The situation in the area remains unclear. If the militants aim to regain a large area from the SAA, they may face unexpected pressure from the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The SAA is already conducting a military operation against ISIS in the northeastern Hama pocket. On February 4, the SAA advanced and captured the villages of al-Judaydah, Samiriyah and Umm Hurizah from ISIS, according to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria.
Click to see the full-size map
Meanwhile, some Syrian pro-government activists reported that ISIS had begun withdrawing from some positions in the northeastern Hama countryside, including the village of Buyad al-Saffas.
The ISIS withdrawal confirms that the terrorist organization is suffering from a shortage in manpower. Experts believe that only few hundreds of poorly armed ISIS fighters are currently besieged in the pocket.
A video released by the Syrian Defense Ministry on February 3, showed what appears to be a BTR-82a of the Russian Army taking part in the ongoing attack against ISIS in the northeastern Hama countryside. This confirms that the upcoming wide-scale military operation against ISIS there will be fully backed by the Russian forces deployed in Syria.
Click to see the full-size image
The SAA and the Tiger Forces will likely complete their new mission in the northeast Hama countryside within a short period. After securing the SAA rear in Hama, the SAA and the Tiger Forces may resume their military operation against the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, in Idlib governorate, according to pro-government sources.
error!!! goes to saraquib!!!
SAA needs resources and man power to finish the Idlib offensive with in less possible time. War is not a joke, more resources and more man power is the key of success. Second so many pockets need army forces and resources to manage these pockets.
Rebels just need more thousands Manpads and Tows to counter this 7 years unfair wars, without a single fighter jets
They can stick their TOW and MANPAD missiles in their ass.
No Fear , the Russians will do just that .
Most of the world doesn’t like Al Qaeda. What a surprise!
Every other day there appears a different spouting agenda troll like you in the comments – your avatar is simply an anti Syrian and anti Iranian one trick pony. Are you hasbara guys just switching up names and accounts, because your comments are often quite similar in prose, length and hopeless grammar.
They should have finished the isis pocket in the Homs and Deir ez Zor desert first, sweep the terrorists from Syria, it wouldn’t be a hard task for Tigers and Suheil al-Hassan. But now, I think they should let the Republican Guard finish the Northern Hama pocket off and concentrate efforts to reach Saraqib and after it capture Al-Eis with the IRGC and its allies. I sincerely think Al Fu’ah and Kafraya suffered a lot, but they can resist a little more now, since the HTS efforts are concentrated in Eastern Idlib and Southern Aleppo. After it, they should go to Idlib while the Republican Guard take Northern Hama and Southern Idlib(Al-Lataminah, Kafr Zita, Khan Sheykoun, Morek and Maarat al-Numan while they are in disarray, it’ll be a very tough battle for the city of Idlib and its countryside, but they will be destroyed. I don’t know if the Republican Guard can do it, but I’m sure that the Tiger Forces can. If the Republican Guard can’t, they should support the Tigers there.
I think one front is better than many because they all dependent on one Brigadier Sohail Al Hassan. If there were several like Sohail Al Hassan then they could open several fronts and this war would end one year ago but at the moment I don’t see any good military leader to lead the forces. That is why when they open any new front so they loose so many soldiers and equipments without any advance. For example East Ghota. Sohail Al Hassan is too intelligent. He is doing several jobs lonely. He leads the army forces, he makes the military strategy planning, he maintain health and safety of the military forces, he is also doing the job of reconciliation officer.
Error thousands of Tows will sink Tiger gang & thousands of Manpads will chase russians out to Gulag
trool us!!!
Eat shit and go to hell you brainless jihadi imbecile
Wonderful to see the Russian backing up the SAA in cleaning that pocket south east of the airport . It is time to get serious about taking out all of these jihadists , before the dark side re-enforces them . When its cleared that airport could facilitate at least helicopters refueling and drones for surveillance .
I think this is bad strategy. As long as HTS’ & FSA have control over the Turkish border area they can always get More Men, Weapons,and Supplies but ISIS stuck in a pocket can’t.
It would be smarter to re-establish full control of the border with Turkey rather than to worry about small fries stuck in a pocket “No Mans Land” “An Endless Abyss” (As they are besieged on all sides)
While I agree the northern push against Al Qaeda is of paramount importance , the reality is it’s more important to have your back covered . Taking territory twice as in Palmyra is too costly .
The jihadists don’t have enough warm bodies to conduct a repeat the likes of what happened to palmyra(which took advantage of a split in manpower/airpower that had been sent to aleppo). Maybe on a very small scale(as in a couple of towns here or there in a surprise attack).
This pocket has to go, it will free up more resources to take idlib.
And so be it.
And so be it!
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham should be the main focus not ISIS who are completely encircled. This decision to relieve the pressure from Turkish backed HTS and their FSA terrorist partners is a fatal mistake that will result in the terrorists regrouping and re-arming and their major counter offensive and the occupation of Idleb and Aleppo by Turkey to confront the Syrian government forces.
There’s more SAA troops guarding that pocket than ISIS inside so it will free up a lot of manpower even if it’s 1,000 (Probably around 2,000-6,000) all around the pocket considering there are close to 1,000 terrorist there
I read the pocket has 1,500 militants in total. With the tiger forces help, the SAA will easily take the pocket. Most likely, all 1,500 will get a green bus to idlib.
After the pilot yesterday , I doubt there will be any more green buses .
Agree, more like a flaming bus to Hell
keep dreaming.
He’s such a great example of misinformed fool.
So, you okay?
It’s the right move. As frustrating as it is to see the Idlib advance go static, it is the right move, militarily. Several hundred ISIS fighters are tying up three or four times their number among the SAA and allied militias who must completely surround the pocket. This is a local example of the vast Syrian manpower drain on government forces forced to contain multiple pockets farther south. And Russia is somewhat constrained at the moment by a once in six years presidential election back home due in six weeks time. But soon enough a whole bunch of people and groups are going to get a good dose of what they have coming to them. But still no doubt far less than they deserve.
I hope you are right. But I ask, why the heck haven’t the Iranians supplied another couple of thousand elite troops to undertake justice their way ?.
I think the Revolutionary Guards have deployed just about all their willing to risk. Iran itself has been threatened by both the U.S. and Israel and the Guards primary mission is to protect the Islamic revolution. Forces in Syria have “what they have.”
They might be deployed in holding areas already liberated thereby releasing Syrian soldiers for further liberating other areas.
IRGC troops are mainly around Deir Ezzor , guess it has to do with Israel
They have, oh yes, don’t worry about it. But they’re smart to no to tell that aloud.
If the US head-chopping, heart-eating, raping slavers have finished fighting among themselves, it’s time to defeat them.
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On that images that BMP Terminator is clearly visible. So no jokes here.
“Wide scale”? Do you mean “big”?
very wise!! wipe out daesh completely, then focus on the smaller fry!
What a coincidence and at same time a large convoys of Idlib’s HTS go to join their Turkey Backed Jihadi brothers, hmm , did they knew about this that there will no ops soon and they send some reinforcements at TAF