September 5, 2023 – Military update: Terrorists escalate their attacks on Syrian Arab Army along the northern front line from west to east of Syria
Terrorist attacks have recently escalated in northwest Syria on Lattakia, Idlib and Aleppo fronts significantly, which shows a clear insistence form Turkey, the United States, France and the UK to occupy the Syrian Arab Army on several fronts, even attempting to push it to open a battle at an inconvenient time. (These countries in specific are directly involved in managing the northwestern Syrian file, which will be detailed later in another report)
Clashes have not stopped on the axes of Idlib southern countryside and Hama northern countryside since the last Al-Malajah attack on August 25. Rather, they were intensified and expanded to reach Lattakia northern countryside, the western and eastern countryside of Aleppo, and even to Hasakah countryside as well.
Latakia countryside
Violent clashes broke out near Al-Sarraf town in Lattakia northern countryside at dawn on Friday, September 1, as Syrian Arab Army units thwarted an infiltration attempt by the “Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan Brigade” terrorist faction, to one of the military points in the area.
Clashes continued from the early hours of dawn until the evening continuously. The terrorists used rocket launchers, tanks, snipers and suicide bombers on motorcycles. Syrian Arab Army brought reinforcements to the axis and intensively bombed the terrorists with rocket launchers and artillery, while Russian Aerospace Forces provided air cover.
At the same time, the terrorist organizations opened Al-Malajah front in Idlib southern countryside again to occupy the Syrian Arab Army, but they made no progress. Rather, they suffered many losses due to the heavily fire response by the Syrian Arab Army and Russian Aerospace Forces.
Russian warplanes intensively bombed terrorist positions on the Idlib, Hama, and Lattakia countryside. Syrian Arab Army artillery units also bombed their supply lines and their rear positions using missiles and laser-guided Krasnopol shells. Several headquarters of “Ansar Al-Tawhid” and the “Islamic Turkestan Party” were destroyed in the villages and towns of (Al-Fatira, Al-Bara, Kafr Aweid, Maaratah, Kansafra, Kfarama, San, Migdala, Maarablit and Kfartaal). Syrian Arab Army also destroyed a terrorist observation point and artillery on Al-Sheikh Hill near Balyoun town, next to a Turkish point. In addition to targeting their movements in the vicinity of Al-Wasata and Al-Qasr in Aleppo western countryside, Surmaniyah, Dwair Al-Akrad, and the Al-Ghab Plain axes in Hama western countryside.
Terrorist’s losses exceeded 40 casualties, including Turkestan and Uighurs. Among the dead were “Mughira al-Shami” and “Abu Staif Bashlamoun”
Unfortunately, 16 Syrian Arab Army soldiers were martyred while confronting HTS terrorist attacks on the Al-Sarraf axis in Lattakia northern countryside at dawn on Friday, making it one of the bloodiest attacks in years.
Aleppo eastern countryside, Manbij
Turkey took advantage of the current events in Eastern Euphrates region and sent its mercenaries under the pretext of “Tribal Support” to attack SDF points along the northern front line. Some of these points are joint with the Syrian Arab Army due to a previous agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government, as the Syrian Arab Army has deployed at several points on the M4 highway from Aleppo to Al-Hasakah, and some points in Jarabulus and Manbij, in addition to other points in Raqqa Governorate.
On Saturday, September 2, Turkish mercenaries took advantage of their attack on the SDF and suddenly attacked one of the Syrian Arab Army points in Al-Mohsenli village on the Manbij axis with heavy artillery and missile cover, forcing the point’s members to withdraw temporarily to avoid unwanted losses. The Turkish-backed militants took over the point, which required Russian Aerospace Forces intervention to support the Syrian Arab Army. Russian air strikes on Manbij countryside killed and wounded dozens of Turkish-backed militias, where they were transported by ambulances to Jarabulus city, which is under Turkish occupation control, while Syrian Arab Army regained control of the points to which the militants advanced.
Terrorist “Abu Kassar al-Mawali” was identified among the dead, who appeared in a video from one of the points the same morning trying to rip off the Syrian flag
HTS also took seized the opportunity and sent its militants with tribal roots to support Turkish mercenaries in Aleppo northern countryside on the Manbij axis under the pretext of “Tribal Support from Idlib.”
146th Regiment, Aleppo western countryside
Also on Saturday, September 2, the terrorists of the “Omar Bin Al-Khattab Brigade,” the “Saad Bin Abi Waqqas Brigade,” and the “Ghuraba Battalion” attempted to infiltrate the 46th Regiment and Orem Al-Sughra in the vicinity of Al-Atareb in Aleppo western countryside. Fierce clashes broke out with the Syrian Arab Army forces operating there.
Russian Aerospace Forces bombed terrorists positions in the villages and towns of Kafr Ta’al, Kafr ‘Amah, Tadil, and Al-Abzimo in Aleppo western countryside. HTS tried to send additional support, but they were targeted with artillery and missiles in the villages and towns of Kansafra, Al-Bara, Kafr Aweid, Sfuhan, Al-Fatira in the Idlib countryside and Al-Zawiya Mountain.
Clashes continued on the 46th Regiment axis for several hours, and the terrorist attack failed miserably. HTS suffered heavy losses in its ranks and equipment, most of which were killed in an ambush by the Syrian Arab Army on a hill near Kafr Taal, where their gatherings were monitored by reconnaissance drones and they were heavily targeted with rocket launchers and artillery. None survived.
Although “Ansar Al-Tawhid” terrorists opened Al-Malajah front again to occupy the Syrian Arab Army again, the two attacks failed miserably. Terrorists’ losses exceeded 50 dead and wounded due to the continuous heavy bombardment by Russian Aerospace Forces and Syrian Arab Army artillery, which targeted their supply lines in (Afes, Sarmin, Al-Fatira, Kansafra, Kafr Aweid and Ma’rablit in Idlib countryside) all day and night, forcing the rest of them to withdraw.
Syrian Arab Army forces carried out a counterattack on one hill near Kafr Taal the next day, which led to the killing and wounding of dozens of terrorists, including the terrorist commander of the “Omar Bin Al-Khattab Brigade,” “Ibrahim Ahmed Hamdo”, who carried out the attack on the 46th Regiment axis. The Syrian Ministry of Defense published a statement in which it showed destroyed terrorist equipment.
“Units of our armed forces operating in Aleppo western countryside thwarted an attack by armed terrorist organizations, inflicting heavy losses in their equipment and lives, destroying an armored vehicle that the terrorists were using to launch missiles. Units of our armed forces operating in Idlib countryside also shot down two drones through which terrorists attempted to target safe civilian areas and some military points.” Syrian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Tal Tamr, Hasaka countryside, between Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3
Under the same pretext of “Tribal Support”, Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army” (SNA) attacked the Syrian Arab Army points next to the SDF points in Tal Al-Tawil and Tal Tamr in Hasakah countryside. They controlled several points and cut off the M4 highway after the SDF militia fled.
Syrian Arab Army units repelled the attack and expelled the Turkish-backed militias from all the points to which they advanced and regained control of the M4 Highway at Tal Tamr node linking Al-Hasakah and Raqqa. SNA suffered several losses among the ranks. One of the dead was “Abu Mahmoud Al-Arman”
Three Syrian Arab Army officers were martyred, Captain Ghaith Mahmoud Al-Qasim, Sergeant Major Omar Ahmed, and Sergeant Fawaz Al-Kassar.
Clashes are still continuing along the northern front line from Tal Tamr in the east to Tal Abyad, north of Raqqa, to Manbij in the west in the Aleppo countryside, with infiltration attempts by the SNA militia into Syrian Arab Army points.
On Monday, September 4, the Syrian Arab Army forces ambushed the Turkish-backed SNA in “Arab Hasan” village next to “Mohsenli” north of Manbij, northeast of Aleppo, killing and wounding many of them, and damaging one of their armored vehicles.
Terrorist escalation is still continuing on all fronts, from Lattakia countryside in the far northwest to Hasakah countryside in eastern Syria, passing through Idlib and Aleppo fronts, while Syrian Arab Army and Russian Aerospace Forces are responding with heavy firepower.
Fierce clashes took place between Syrian Arab Army and Turkestan Party militants on the Khirbet al-Naqus axis in the Al-Ghab Plain in the Hama countryside, along with Ansar Al-Tawhid militants on the Malaja and Al-Fatira axis, amid intense artillery and missile bombardment on their movements and positions in the region.
Russian warplanes carried out dozens of air strikes over the past week and are still continuing till this moment, while Syrian Arab Army has not stopped targeting militant supply lines with rocket launchers and laser-guided Krasnopol artillery shells on all axes in the countryside of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Lattakia around the clock, killing and wounding dozens of terrorists on a daily basis, amid HTS’s secrecy about its losses. This escalation coincides with Putin’s visit to Ankara to meet Erdogan, in addition to the Arab tribe’s conflict with SDF militia in Eastern Euphrates.
It is quite clear that the United States (along with Britain and France, which will be explained soon) are trying to exhaust the Syrian Arab Army to the maximum, and even drag it into a battle that does not suit its timing. Erdogan knows that the Syrian Arab Army will not easily engage in any military operation that does not suit its terms. He is taking advantage of the current situation to attack SDF, while also pressuring the Syrian leadership to improve the negotiation conditions without engaging in a direct war with the Syrian Arab Army.
Al-Julani is currently benefiting from the tribal conflict to gain more influence in the east. He is also benefiting from the escalation in northwest Syria in several ways, the most important of which is silencing his opponents and getting rid of the radicals in the ranks of HTS (who would oppose his new “modern opponent” style). Therefore, he has thrown the Ghuraba Brigade (to satisfy the French intelligence) and “Ansar Al-Tawhid” (which is ISIS origins) into lost battles, along with the Turkestan Islamic Party (which includes the Turkestans and Uyghurs). So far, Ansar Al-Tawhid” faction has suffered the most heavily losses due to its daily clashes with the Syrian Arab Army in Mallaja.
Although Syrian and Russian leaderships can conduct a limited military operation (an available choice), yet they prefer to remain on constant alert in anticipation of any comprehensive attack from any party (which is still unlikely). Syrian Arab Army relies on its long combat experience by carrying out temporary tactical withdrawals to avoid losses, then uses heavy firepower to eliminate the largest number of terrorists before regaining control of the points. The two leaderships also prefer violent and decisive deterrence and the use of greater firepower over opening a confrontation at the enemy’s timing to avoid an unwanted military operation. “Never go where your enemy leads you.”
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