Syria/Iraq update 2/17/2019..US-backed Syria force says Islamic State holding 1,000 civilians

US-backed Syria force says Islamic State holding 1,000 civilians

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The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a new attack in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate on Sunday, targeting a number of areas controlled by both Jaysh Al-Izza and Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham

Led by their 4th Division and Republican Guard units, the Syrian Arab Army began the day by launching several missiles towards Jaysh Al-Izza’s positions near the Al-Massasneh checkpoint. Following the attack on the Al-Massasneh checkpoint, the Syrian Arab Army began targeting Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s positions at the town of Al-Jisat. This attack by the Syrian Arab Army on Al-Jisat was in retaliation for Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s strikes on the government-held towns in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate on Saturday. The Syrian Arab Army would also target several sites belonging to Jaysh Al-Izza in the towns of Kafr Zita and Al-Latamnah. These Syrian Army attacks on Jaysh Al-Izza’s positions have become more prevalent since the latter has been weakened by the lack of supplies to their forces from several foreign entities.

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‘Every intruder is an enemy’ – Al Assad

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad said any intruder in Syria would be considered an enemy, speaking in Damascus on Sunday. “Every inch of Syria will be liberated, and any intruder is an enemy. He will be treated as an occupation force, this is not a political opinion, but it’s a national and an indisputable opinion,” said Al Assad. “The safe zone that the Turks are working on has always existed from the first year of the war,” he said. “[Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] has been calling and waiting for permission from the US in order to enter the north and north-east regions in Syria, but the Americans were telling him “keep away, your role hasn’t come yet, why?” Because terrorists used to execute their plan very well, Turkey wasn’t needed.” The Syrian leader also mentioned that the state has sought to recover its military and civilian institutions to alleviate the pain and suffering of the refugees inside Syria and worked to return all those who left their villages and cities after they were liberated.

Farsnews Syria in Last 24 Hours

The Syrian and Russian armies have dispatched convoys comprising tanks, artillery canons and heavy military equipment to battlefronts in Hama and Idlib provinces to reinforce their positions for an upcoming operation against Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in Northern Syria, media reports said.

The Arabic-language service of Russian Sputnik news agency quoted a high-ranking military source as saying that the Idlib operations will be conducted in several phases and the main purpose for the upcoming operation is restoring security to villages and towns in areas under terrorists’ control in Hama and Idlib that come under terrorists’ constant missile attacks everyday.

Meantime, the Syrian army continued its military advances in other parts of Syria over the past 24 hours.

Tens of terrorists were killed and dozens more were injured during the Syrian army’s operations in provinces across Syria.

Idlib

The Syrian and Russian armies have dispatched convoys comprising tanks, artillery canons and heavy military equipment to battlefronts in Hama and Idlib provinces to reinforce their positions for an upcoming operation against Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in Northern Syria, media reports said Saturday.

“The Idlib operations will be conducted in several phases and the main purpose for the upcoming operation is restoring security to villages and towns in areas under terrorists’ control in Hama and Idlib that come under terrorists’ constant missile attacks everyday,” the Arabic-language service of Russian Sputnik news agency quoted a high-ranking military source as saying.

Syrian political analyst Qasi Abido, meantime, said that the Syrian Army’s military operation comes as the Syrian Government is fully aware that tens of thousands of foreign terrorists stationed in Idlib province will not leave the region and will not lay down their arms.

Meantime, the Syrian Army pounded the terrorists’ military positions and movements in al-Tavineh, al-Haviz, East of Sahl al-Ghab, Wadi al-Dourat on the Eastern side of al-Latamineh town in Northern Hama.

The Syrian Army attacks came in response to the terrorists’ missile attacks on the town of Salhab in Western Hama.

The Xeber24 news website also reported that the Russian Army has sent several trucks carrying weapons, heavy military hardware, ammunition and logistical supplies to its military positions in Salba village in Western Hama along the contact line with terrorists.

Homs

The Syrian Army continued its military operations against the remnants of the ISIL terrorist group in the depth of Palmyra desert (Badiya) in Eastern Homs, inflicting heavy losses and casualties on the terrorists.

The Damascus Army troops engaged in heavy clashes with the ISIL terrorists in Palmyra desert, killing and wounding a large number of militants.

The army troops also pounded the terrorists’ movements in Palmyra, and destroyed several hideouts and military vehicles carrying heavy weaponry.

A large amount of terrorists’ military equipment, including mortars, missile-launchers, RPGs, machineguns, ammunition and medicine were also destroyed in the Syrian Army attacks.

Eastern Euphrates

The ISIL terrorist group ended its presence in Eastern Euphrates after an agreement with the US Army and its allied militants to exit the region, media reports said.

The Arabic-language al-Watan Online news website reported that the US Army has relocated the last remnants of the ISIL terrorist group to an unknown place from the farms in the countryside of al-Baghouz town in Southeastern Deir Ezzur.

The London-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), meantime, reported that about 440 ISIL terrorists left Eastern Euphrates in two phases after agreeing with the Syrian Army and the US-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

It reiterated that the US is going to officially declare the end of the ISIL’s presence in Eastern Euphrates.