The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and popular forces continued to push the militant groups back from more territories in the Northern parts of the Lattakia province liberating the villages of Ra’as al-Qazal and Ra’as al-Kabir. Also, the militant groups have been pushed to withdrew their forces from the villages of al-Skriyeh,al-Kandisiyeh and Jabal al-Khanadiq.

Tens of al-Nusra members were killed and wounded in the army’s missile and rocket attacks on their concentration centers in Hawash al-Ash’ari region and the town of al-Nashabiyeh in Eastern Ghouta. The Syrian government forces are conducting military operations in Darayya in Western Ghouta. Separately, the Syrian warplanes bombed the militant groups’ bases and defensive positions in Jobar.

The Syrian Armed Forces and its allies have been continuing heavy clashes against ISIS in the province of Deir Ezzor.

• On Jan. 16, ISIS launched a full-scale offensive near the provincial capital’s northwestern countryside and captured the large weapons depot of Ayyash and the entire Al-Baghayliyah District. In a separate development, the terrorists captured the Thurdeh Mountains.
• On Jan.17, ISIS offensive was halted by the SAA and the loyalists recaptured Al-Baghayliyah and a half of the district including the Al-Rawad Association Neighborhood and the Al-Furat Hotel on the western bank of the Euphrates River.
• On Jan. 18, the Syrian forces continued counter attacks and liberated the Al-Fursan Gas Station, Al-Jazeera University, and the western perimeter of the Radio Broadcast Tower. Meanwhile, the terrorists were pushed to withdraw forces from the al-Ruwad heights as the SAA and the National Defense Forces (NDF) successfully advanced in the area.
• Despite the SAA’s counter attacks, ISIS is holding area near the 137th Artillery Brigade’s Headquaters, the ‘Ayyash weapons depot and inside the Al-Bughayliyah District. The heavy clashes are going there. Also, ISIS militants launched an advacy on the 137th Brigade’s HQ and the Deir Ezzor Military Airport.

On Jan.18, the SAA and the NDF hit the positions of al Nusra near the village of Kafr Sijneh in the Idlib province and killed 23 terrorists, including al Nusra field commander, Abdul Qader al-Sbeih. A senior commander of Liwa al-Ansar terrorist group, Samer Hajj Najib, was also killed in the SAA in the clashes near Jisr al-Shughour on Sunday.