Uprooted Palestinian: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM – سلام القدس عليكم: SYRIAN WAR REPORT – MARCH 9, 2018: SYRIAN ARMY GAINS UPPER HAND IN EASTERN GHOUTA BATTLE

South Front

On March 8, the Syrian Arab Army, the Tiger Forces and the Republican Guard liberated the villages of Hawsh Ashari and Hawsh Qubaybat, the Jisrin farms and the Air Defense Battalion base in the Eastern Ghouta region, near Damascus from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), Faylaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Islam.

The Air Defense Battalion base had been one of the main maintenance facilities for the Syrian Air Defense Forces’ S-200 long range air defense systems before it was captured by Jaish al-Islam in 2012.

Hamza Bayrakdar, a spokesman for Jaysh al-Islam, claimed that the militant group had launched an attack on government positions in the Douma countryside and had killed twenty SAA soldiers as well as destroyed a vehicle armed with a 14.5mm gun and damaged a T-72 battle tank.

By March 9, government forces have liberated about a half of the entire Eastern Ghouta pocket. Currently, militants remain in control of the most urbanized area in the southern and northern parts of the pocket. Clashes there will be especially complicated for the SAA, primarily because of the risk of civilian casualties.

On March 8, the Hezbollah media wing in Syria reported that the SAA had expanded its security zone around the town of al-Qaryatayn up to 80km. This effort was aimed at preventing weapons supplies and militant infiltration efforts from the At Tanf area, which is controlled by the US-led coalition and its proxies.

On the same day, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Free Syrian Army captured the town of Jinderes, the villages of Hallubi Kabir, Merasat al-Khatib, Shawarighat ak-Jawz and the Zaghur camp in the Afrin area from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).

The media wing of the YPG claimed that YPG fighters conducted “a special operation” against the Turkish Army in the village of Matinli killing seven Turkish special forces soldiers.

On March 9, Turkish forces continued their efforts to isolate Afrin advancing northeast, west and south of the YPG-held city.

TIGER FORCES ENTER KEY TOWN OF MISRABA IN EASTERN GHOUTA, MILITANTS ARE ON RETREAT (MAP)

10.03.2018

Following previous advances in Eastern Ghouta, the Tiger Forces, the Republican Guard and the Syrian Army have made another major step en route to a full liberation of the region.

On March 10, government forces entered the key town of Misraba in the central part of the pocket and forced militants to retreat from its center. According to local sources, the Tiger Forces and their allies established control of a major part of the town and militant positions remained only in its vicinity. The advance was backed up by the Syrian Air Force.

However, clashes are still ongoing in the area. If government troops secure their gains in Misraba, the militant-held pocket in Eastern Ghouta will be de-facto splitted into two separate parts.

Tiger Forces Enter Key Town Of Misraba In Eastern Ghouta, Militants Are On Retreat (Map)

Click to see the full-size map

First images of Syrian Army troops inside of captured East Ghouta town

By Leith Aboufadel

10/03/2018

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:50 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) seized the imperative town of Mesraba in the East Ghouta region, today, forcing the Islamist rebels to retreat further south in order to avoid being overrun.

As a result of this advance, the Syrian Arab Army has managed to nearly split the East Ghouta region into two separate pockets.

The first photos from the captured town of Mesraba were released by Russia’s ANNA News this afternoon:

With Mesraba captured, the Syrian Army will now turn their attention to the Douma and Harasta fronts, where they hope to pressure the Islamist rebels to surrender their last positions.

Photo credit: ANNA News

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