Syria’s Al Bab witnesses increasing tensions

Clashes took place after the midnight of Wednesday – Thursday, between the rebel and Islamic factions against the “Islamic State” organization, in the area of Da’bul Street in Al-Tadamon neighbourhood, and information about confirmed casualties in the ranks of the both parties.
 areas in Kafr Zita in the northern countryside of Hama were shelled after the midnight of Wednesday and Thursday, by the regime forces, which caused material damage, without information about casualties.
The clashes are continuing in an escalated way between the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them against Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham, in the areas of Abu Dali and Al-Mshirfah and the surrounding villages in the south-eastern countryside of Idlib, amid intensive shelling by warplanes until this dawn, and shelling by the regime forces on the clash areas.
The warplanes also carried out several raids after the midnight of Wednesday – Thursday, on areas in Al-Rahjan town in the eastern countryside of Hama, and other areas in Al-Hamra Township, amid clashes between the both parties in the area of Tal Khuzaym and Sarha in the eastern countryside of Hama, and information about casualties in the ranks of the both parties, without information about any change in the control map for the benefit of one of the both parties.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published what it monitored during the last night about the return of the relative calm to the fronts of the northern countryside of Hama after violent clashes between the regime forces supported by their loyal gunmen against fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the rebel factions, it is noteworthy that these ongoing clashes in the north-eastern countryside resulted in the displacement of more than 35 thousand citizens from their villages.
Violent clashes renewed this morning between the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them against Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham and the rebel and Islamic factions, in the area of Tal Barda’iyyah in Sheikh Mountain, in the south-west of Rif Dimashq, accompanied by exchange of shelling between the both parties, and bombardment by the helicopters by explosive barrels on the clash areas, in which bombardment carried out yesterday by more than 40 missiles and explosive barrels, that targeted areas in the outskirts of Beit Jinn Farms and other areas in the south-west of Rif Dimashq.
These sporadic clashes and the attacks come within the preparations for a massive military operation the regime forces aim to launch in the area, in order to advance and fully control it, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored regime’s helicopters dropping about 400 barrel bombs and hundreds of rocket and artillery shells targeting this area, since the 26th of September 2017.
Syrian Observatory learned that the regime forces are trying through this intense shelling to prepare for a military operation to end the presence of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the rebel and Islamic factions in the rest of the Syrian-Lebanese border, and if they regain control of this area (which is about 150 square kilometers and includes the villages and towns of Beit Jenn, Beit Saber, Beit Tima, Kafr Hor, and other farms and residential gatherings)
They will have regained the entire west, southwest, north and northwest of Rif Dimashq, where there are still an area of about 8 km for fighters of the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham on the Syrian – Lebanese border, including about 5.5 km along the border with Shebaa Farms, and the shelling was accompanied by several attacks by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them; during which they managed to regain control of a hill and sites were controlled by the factions and Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the clashes are still continuing at lower pace of violent between the regime forces backed by armed militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against the members of the “Islamic State” organization, accompanied by continuous targeting by the regime forces to the controlled areas of the organization and its positions in the parts remaining under its untrol in the city.