On February 5, Syrian government forces, led by the Republican Guard, advanced on positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) in the Ghubair area in the Eastern Ghouta region, near Damascus, according to pro-government sources.
Government troops allegedly captured factory buildings in the northern part of Ghubair after militants had withdrawn from the area under a series of intense artillery and air strikes.
Meanwhile, sporadic clashes continued appearing in the Armoured Vehicles Base area. Army units besieged in the area will remain vulnerable until government forces secure the southern and western flanks of the vehicle management area. Most likely, the ongoing advance of the Republican Guard in Ghubair is aimed to achieve one of this goals.
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