Syria/Iraq update 8/20/2018..Militants Crack Down On Reconciliation Supporters In Idlib

Militants Crack Down On Reconciliation Supporters In Idlib

Last Syrian rebels face imminent onslaught

Syrian Army watches as jihadist rebels build trenches across southern Idlib

The jihadist rebels in the southern countryside of the Idlib Governorate have been busy as of late building trenches across the provincial border of the Hama Governorate. The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) watched from afar this past weekend as the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham continued raising trenches across the front-lines in Idlib. The trenches were concentrated around the Idlib Governorate towns of Sukeek and Al-Taman’ah; these two localities are expected to be the Syrian Arab Army’s first targets in the province. As shown in the video above, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham has been working vigorously to complete this project before the Syrian Arab Army launches their offensive in northern Hama: According to a Syrian Arab Army officer in the northern countryside of Hama, the trenches raised by the jihadist rebels are mostly useless because his forces know where all of their tunnels and defensive sites are located.

Fierce clashes breakout between Syrian Army, jihadist rebels in southeast Idlib

An intense confrontation broke out between the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and jihadist rebels inside a contested town in the Idlib Governorate last night. According to a field report from southeast Idlib, the Syrian Arab Army’s Tiger Forces branch and jihadist rebels from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham clashed inside the town of Kuwayn. The reason for the clashes was due to an attack launched by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham on the Tiger Forces’ positions inside this small town in the Idlib Governorate’s southeastern countryside. No gains were reported by either side however, a video was released that showed up close combat footage from Khuwayn last night – please see above. These fresh clashes between Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and the Syrian Arab Army come just days before the Syrian Arab Army is expected to kickoff their long-awaited offensive in the Idlib Governorate. Over the last two weeks, the Syrian Arab Army has been building up their forces in the northern countryside of Hama, as they prepare to attack this area first. Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and their allies from Jaysh Al-Izza are aware that the Syrian Arab Army is preparing to launch an offensive, so they have begun raising trenches and fortifying their positions in Hama and Idlib…

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