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Last night, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Republican Guard and th 4th Armoured Division liberated the area of Adrawani, near the neighborhood of Harasta, in the westren part of the Damascus subrub of Eastern Ghouta, according to pro-government sources. Thus, government troops depoyed in close proximity to the militant-held part of the highway linking the militant-held city of Douma and the militant-held district of Harasta. If the SAA and its allies cut off the highway east of Harasta, they will dramatically complicate any supplies to militants in the area.
Meanwhile, calshes in Harasta itself resulted in no gains for government forces. This is a highly urbanized and fortified area mostly controlled by Ahrar al-Sham and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda). So, the SAA maneuver along the Douma-Harasta higway is a useful way to avoid singificant casualties in urban clashes.
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On the same time, government forces have also not been able to capture the town of Misraba, located south of the city of Douma. This town is one of the key militant strong points in the central part of the pocket. The SAA and the Tiger Forces attempted to storm it on March 8 and March 9 but achieved a little progress in the area.
Clashes also continued in the area of Jirsin in the southern part of Eastern Ghouta. Jisrin is controlled by Faylaq al-Rahman and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Controlling it militants prevent government troops from isolating the village of Aftris south of Beit Sawa. However, according to pro-government sources, these two settlements will likely fall into the hands of the SAA and the Tiger Forces soon.
A deputy leader of Faylaq al-Rahman was killed in clashes with the SAA:
A video from one of the Eastern Ghouta operation rooms shows the elimination of a group of terrorists in the area of Jisrin:
Late on March 9, a group of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham members were reportedly evacuated from Eastern Ghouta towards the province of Idlib under a deal between militants and the Damascus government. However, a large-scale evacuation agreemnet has not been reached yet. Most likely, the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance will implement various evecaution agrements in different settlements to ease the militant resistance in the pocket.
Military equipment of government forces:
Meanwhile, United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent humanitarian convoy delivered 74 tons of food and medical supplies to the city of Douma. The convoy is a part of the wider effort aimed to improve a humantiarian situation for civilians in the besieged area.
The recent convoy was set to deliver the aid on March 5, but did it only on March 9 because of a tense security situation in Eastern Ghouta.
