Syria: Russian Fighter Jets Hit ISIS and Al Nusrah Terrorist Positions. ISIS Offensive Directed against Al-Safira
International Military Review
The Russian Air Force struck terrorists’ positions in Daraa province for the first time in the past month. Russia’s fighter jets hit the terrorists’ positions in the strategic hilltops of Tal al-Harra and Tal Antar near Deir al-Adas. Then the SAA carried out attacks on the strategic hilltop of Tal al-Alaqiya and managed to fully destroy the terrorists’ positions in the sector. Also, the Russian airstrikes targeted the ISIS and al-Nusra positions in the Golan Heights in Quneitra province.
Russian fighter jets destroyed a number of the positions of the terrorist groups in the Aleppo province. The airstrikes hit positions of al-Nusra and ISIS in the vicinity of Khanasser-Ithriyah road in the Southern parts of the city of Aleppo.
Earlier SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence reported that the ISIS militants seized territory which is vital to the Syrian government’s logistical lines. So far, ISIS has taken control of approximately 10 Syrian checkpoints along the supply line running from Hama through Salamiyeh, Ithriyah and Khanaser to Aleppo. The Syrian forces have temporarily halted part of their offensive operations in Aleppo province as they scramble to secure the threatened corridor.
On Tuesday morning, ISIS launched a large-scale offensive at the Syrian government stronghold, Al-Safira. According to reports, ISIS began their assault at the northern district of the town where they captured several building blocks. The clashes have been continuing. Militants moved their forces from Tal ‘Arn and Al-‘Aziziyah for this advance.
If ISIS captures Al-Safira, they will cut supplies off from the large number of Syrian troops in Aleppo province and take control of the large army bases surrounding the city.
On Tuesday, the SAA and the Lebanese Hezbollah took control of the city of Jisr al-Shughour and its surrounding mountainous areas in the province of Idlib. Jisr al-Shughour has a strategic importance because it links Syria’s coastal towns as well as the Idlib and Aleppo provinces. It has a population of over 150,000 people.
Iraqi security sources stated that the US-led coalition’s airstrikes killed 22 army and volunteer servicemen on Tuesday. The coalition warplanes targeted the Iraqi forces’ positions after they advanced the al-Jama and al-Davajen bridges near the city of Ramadi.
Separate roadside bombings in an area of the capital Baghdad left two people dead on Tuesday. Two Iraqi servicemen were also killed when a bomb inside a truck went off at a gathering of security forces near the city of Samarra.
The Iraqi Parliament may begin discussions to request Russia’s help in providing military aid in the fight against ISIS at the end of this week, Mowaffak Rubaie, lawmaker from the Shiite coalition said on Tuesday. Last week, Russian parliamentary speaker Valentina Matvienko said that Moscow would consider Baghdad’s request to provide military assistance in the fight against terrorism should it be made.
