By Wassim Essa, click to see the full-size image
On January 11, the Syrian Arab Army and the Special Mission Force (SMF) captured several positions around the Syrian Police branch in the eastern part of Harasta district east of the Syrian capital, Damascus, according to the Hezbollah media wing in Syria.
Moreover, the Syrian pro-government news outlet Damascus Now reported that the SAA had captured seven farms and several positions north of Duma district, located also east of Damascus. The new SAA attack north of Duma is likely a response to Jaysh al-Islam’s attack on a position of the SAA in the southern part of the Eastern Ghouta region on January 10.
Syrian opposition sources reported that Syrian warplanes conducted over 50 airstrikes on positions of the Ahrar al-Sham Movement, Faylaq al-Rahman and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the districts of Harasta, Irbin and Madira.
From its side, the militant groups shelled the government-held districts in the center and eastern part of Damascus city with dozens of mortars, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The pro-opposition media outlet also revealed that at least five civilians were killed in Damascus by the militants’ shelling on January 10.
During the last 48, the Ahrar al-Sham Movement’s attack on the Armored Vehicles Base south of Harasta district slowed down after a series of counter-operations conducted by the SAA, according to Syrian pro-government activists.
