Syrian Army units operating in the northern countryside of Hama strengthened their defensive lines last night with various firepower assets, a Syrian military source confirmed to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Sunday.

"Our forces operating in the northern countryside of Hama repelled terrorist organizations, preventing them from achieving any breakthroughs," the source said, adding that the Syrian Amry successfully liberated several areas after expelling terrorists, most notably Qal’at al-Madiq and the village of Ma’ardas in Hama.

Syrian state TV also announced that the Syrian Army's confrontations in the past three days with HTS led to the killing of around a thousand militants.

Meanwhile, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Damascus reported that Syrian and Russian warplanes targeted militant movements in the villages of Hazarin and Rakaya in the southern countryside of Idlib.

Later, he confirmed that the Syrian army regained control of several towns in the northern Hama countryside, reaching the eastern Hama countryside.

Our correspondent noted that the airstrikes targeted positions of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group near Khan Sheikhoun in southern Idlib and Morek in the northern countryside of Hama, adding that Syrian Army forces recaptured the town of Halfaya in the area.

Moreover, Al Mayadeen's correspondent maintained that the circulated reports that armed groups have taken control of the village of Mahardah and the city of al-Saqlabiyah in the Hama countryside and that they are advancing toward the village of Salamiyah are not true.

The Syrian army and allied forces also liberated the town of Taybat al-Imam, the village of Khirbet al-Hijama, and Soran in the northern Hama countryside, according to our correspondent, who also indicated that the Syrian Army is fortifying its positions in Hama and its northern regions, maintaining direct frontlines with southern Idlib.

Syrian Army repels attempted advances in far southern countryside of Aleppo

In a related context, the Syrian Army successfully repelled attempts by militant groups to advance in the far southern countryside of Aleppo near the Abu al-Duhur military airport, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Damascus.

The armed groups also failed to gain ground or capture the town of Khanaser in the Aleppo countryside.

Contrary to circulating reports, our correspondent confirmed that the terrorist groups have not made any advances toward the Defense Factories or the Scientific Research Center in the southern Aleppo countryside, nor have they seized the towns of Tal Aran and Tal Hasel. These areas, along with the cities of Safira, Deir Hafer, Khafsah, and Maskanah in Aleppo countryside, remain under the control of the Syrian Army.  

In the Latakia countryside, the Syrian Army thwarted infiltration attempts by armed groups toward the town of Salma. Meanwhile, in the Hama countryside, the Army recaptured the towns of al-Samman and al-Jab, as well as seven additional villages.  

According to our correspondent, airstrikes carried out by Syrian and Russian forces targeted a broad area spanning from the western Aleppo countryside to the center of Idlib city. Additional airstrikes focused on armed group positions near the city of Morek in northern Hama province.  

He pointed out that armed groups reportedly admitted to the loss of more than 80 militants, with dozens more injured, following an airstrike on the al-Bassel roundabout in Aleppo.

Syrian MoD refutes withdrawal claims

On Saturday, the Syrian Ministry of Defense issued a statement denying reports circulated by terrorist organizations regarding the Syrian Army's withdrawal from Hama.

The Ministry affirmed that military units are stationed in their positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama.

"Our armed forces units remain in their positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama and are fully prepared to repel any potential terrorist attack," it affirmed.

Simultaneously, the Syrian Army reiterated its commitment to ongoing operations to confront terrorist organizations, expel them, and restore state authority and institutions across Aleppo and its countryside.

Syrian Army units have redeployed toward Aleppo International Airport to prevent the destruction of the city's neighborhoods, while Syrian warplanes continue to target militant gatherings in Aleppo and its surrounding areas.

Russian coordination

On its part, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria announced the elimination of at least 300 militants in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib in northern Syria, in coordination with the Syrian Army.

This comes after militants affiliated with the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, supported by thousands of foreign mercenaries, heavy weaponry, and numerous drones, launched a large-scale offensive from multiple fronts in Aleppo and Idlib.

Yesterday, Syria’s military announced a “temporary troop withdrawal” in Aleppo, saying dozens of its soldiers had been killed or wounded in fierce battles with “armed terrorist organizations” in the governorates of Aleppo and Idlib over the previous few days.

It added that it was now regrouping, redeploying troops to strengthen its defense lines as it prepared a “counterattack”.

The army said the terrorists had entered large parts of Aleppo but army bombardment had stopped them from establishing fixed positions. It promised to “expel them and restore the control of the state… over the entire city and its countryside."

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