Advancing militants
On March 24, the Syrian Army repelled two major assaults launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies in the northern countryside of Hama.
The first militant assault targeted Kawkab village which was recaptured by the government troops yesterday evening. Militants even were able to enter the village and declared the control over it in their media outlets. However, they were pushed to retreat.
HTS VBIED
As for the second assault which was more powerful, the target was the loyalist stronghold of Qamhana. The al-Qaeda-affiliated HTS used an armored VBIED in an attempt to etenr the town. A T-90, captured by the terrorist group last June during a battle for the Mallah area in northern Aleppo, was spotted at the battle scene. But, local units of the Tiger Forces managed to repel the assault.
Many reports suggested that the jihadist forces’ casualties were extremely high in the past 3 days of fighting. A high-ranking HTS military commander in Nizar Lattuf, nicknamed Abu Ahd, was killed during the failed attack today morning.
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Opposition sources revealed that the residents of Kafar Nabbudah barred HTS from using the town as a foothold for further attacks and a logistical hub for the nearby battlefields. However, the extremist group gave the locals a deadline to open the roads before they do this by force.
Separately, the Russian Air Forces continued intense support to government forces garrisoned in northern Hama. Su-25 and Su-35 fighter jets targeted reinforcement convoys and supply routes in northern Hama and Idlib as the Syrian Army prepares for the anticipated counterattack.
