Situation, Facts and Events
10.04.2023

FTO activities in Syria

Throughout March, low intensity fighting was observed in a number of governorates of the country.

 

On March 3, it became known that the command of the Syrian Armed Forces sent special forces to Deir ez-Zor governorate to eliminate the militants of the Islamic State (IS) operating there. This was reported by the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan. The operation was carried out in the desert of Badia al-Sharkiya. Fr om this desert, mobile groups of militants attacked army checkpoints and transport convoys moving along the highway to the border with Iraq.

 

On March 8, unidentified UAVs attacked ground targets in Deir ez-Zor governorate. According to the Al-Hadas TV channel, the attack targeted the area wh ere the camp of the pro-Iranian Shia units in Al-Hamidiyah was located. As a result of a direct hit, a weapons depot and an ammunition truck were destroyed, killing 8 fighters. According to the TV channel, the total number of Shia volunteers concentrated in the region bordering Iraq is 15,000 people. Their troops are fighting on the side of the Syrian army against ISIS.

 

On March 14, a representative of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) reported the death of one of its field commanders in the north of Aleppo governorate. A statement broadcast by al-Hadath TV stated that a remotely triggered bomb had been planted in the car of an FSA brigade commander. The attack took place in the village of Shamarih, controlled by the FSA militants. According to the channel, since the beginning of March, this was already the third field commander killed by the militants of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS).

 

On March 24, troops of the Syrian Armed Forces repelled an attack by HTS militants. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the SAR. As follows fr om the statement of the ministry, cited by the SANA agency, the militants attacked the positions of government forces in the Kafr Amma region in Aleppo governorate. The terrorists carried out the attack during iftar. It was noted that the militants “suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment,” as the Syrian military eliminated 11 terrorists, including the leader of the group.

 

On March 17, the Syrian army artillery opened fire on the militant bases in Idlib governorate. According to the Al-Watan newspaper, the strikes were carried out on the mountainous region of Jabal al-Zawiya, which serves as an outpost of the militants, as a result, the enemy suffered losses in killed and wounded. The strike came in response to repeated ceasefire violations in the northern de-escalation zone. According to the publication, a day earlier, a group of militants associated with the HTS made a surprise attack on government positions near the village of El Fatatir in the neighboring Hama governorate. During the clash, five Syrian servicemen were killed and six more were injured.

 

On March 28, the artillery of the Syrian army attacked the positions of the militants in the area of Maaret al-Naasan in the north of Idlib governorate. This was reported by Al-Watan newspaper. There was also a strike on the mountainous terrain of Jabal al-Zawiya. As a result, the enemy suffered losses in killed and wounded. According to the newspaper, a day earlier the militants fired mortars on settlements west of Aleppo, which are under the protection of government forces, violating the ceasefire in the northern de-escalation zone.

 

On March 2, at least three people were killed in an attack carried out by IS fighters in Hama governorate. This was announced by the General Directorate of Radio and Television of Syria.

 

On March 24, IS militants carried out an armed sortie in Hama governorate and massacred 15 villagers. This was reported by Al-Hadas TV channel, citing eyewitnesses. The attack was made in the Wadi al-Azeeb valley east of Salamiyah (182 km from Damascus), wh ere a group of workers from the agricultural association were collecting truffles.

 

On March 9, at least three Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack on their car in Deraa governorate. This was reported by Sham FM radio station. According to them, the incident occurred near the village of Khirbet-Ghazaleh.

 

On March 19, at least two members of the Syrian Armed Forces were killed in an explosion that took place in Homs governorate. This was reported by Sham FM radio station. According to them, the mine detonated near the oasis of Es-Sukhna in the north-eastern part of the governorate.

Source: Институт Ближнего Востока